It's finally here.
Chromeo's much anticipated fifth studio album, the first in four years, and their "
love letter to all the sub-genres of funk that have influenced [them] over the years,"
Head Over Heels.
Reviews, comments and favourites are already pouring in, and after several full spins I'm quite confident Dave 1 and P-Thugg have not only lived up to the lofty expectations they've built through their killer catalog, but crafted a captivating album of full of energizing and electrifying funk.
We've already heard four fantastic singles and these eight new additions fit perfectly, propelling
Head Over Heels into one of the most lush, loving albums you'll ever come across. The duo deliver more powerful heart palpitations than a marathon of your favourite rom-coms. Finally, while I'm floored by at least half of these new tracks, I think I'm most excited by the prospects of the remixes that are sure to arise (as we've already been treated to several top notch takes, and I can only imagine what's next).
As with almost all of
Chromeo's oeuvre, love songs are the key component and that once again rings true here. "
Must've Been" brings the youthful, naivety and puerile pleasure of a first love, welcoming listeners with a warm, weak at the knees awakening. Things mature a bit as "
Don't Sleep" leads us into the game of love, the cherubic chase. It is playful peacocking, that while one "can't tell you who to love" you can certainly try to influence infatuation. And that's where we end up with "
One Track Mind."
Almost creepy, although Dave 1 or
Head Over Heels' narrator insists he's not, this is overt obsession. Crazy cool vibes rise through this utterly resplendent soundscape, perhaps the most intoxicating of the album. And as I mentioned above, it is this track that most excites me with the potential for remixes, as the elements and groove laid down are ludicrously cool and fantastically funky. And that's when perhaps the most fiercely funky track "
Count Me Out" comes in, as
DJ Quik's opening identifies it as such. The slap-bass riffs play perfectly with the 3rd wheel lyrical content, sticking out like a sore thumb, jutting more impactfully than a cliffhanger season finale of your favourite show. Finally this one feels like my favourite track because it plays host to perhaps Dave 1's best lyrical content. Not just his delivery of the Mazda Miata line but the mathematical word play, specifically the "I know that you're free / but I never knew a couple was supposed to be three" line had me in stitches. And this leads me to a thought that first arose when
Chromeo announced they were using their own legs, no longer women's.
While lyrically, all of the love songs are focused on women (even the interlude sung by women, saying "Right back home to you girl"), these are always empowered women. And never more so than in the next two tracks "
Bad Decision" and "
Just Friends." The power is in their hands, with Dave 1 becoming a slave on a leash, ready to buy a ring, empty his bank account and declaring it
Amber Mark's world. And that's seemingly just the way he likes it. It feels like home as we hear in the increasingly funky interlude, which like "
Bedroom Calling Pt. 1" sends us spinning in spine-tingling spirals.
The two other tracks we haven't heard yet "
Slumming It" and "
Room Service" took a couple plays for me to really get into. Both are classic
Chromeo cuts, offering up genius grooves and pristine production. The slow burn of "
Slumming It" reaches fever pitch with the sultry sax solo, one I'm interested to see if they'll include in their tour performances. "
Room Service" fits fantastically as the finale as again it nails the enamour-laden nature of not just
Chromeo's lyrical output but production quality. It is warm, playful and singularly focused affection, as in their oeuvre there is nothing better. And that's why it's so good. It fills you with love, hope and enthusiasm; things I cannot wait to experience as these salacious sounds take over the
Danforth Music Hall July 3rd. I know that this will be one of my albums of the year, I'll be playing it for weeks and months to come, and will be patiently waiting for remixes. Long live
Chromeo!
FOLLOW CHROMEO: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER
