Head Over Heels, the fifth studio LP from Montreal funk legends Chromeo, was released 6/15 on Big Beat/Atlantic Records. Get the album, including “Must’ve Been” featuring DRAM, “Don’t Sleep” feat. French Montana & Stefflon Don, “Bedroom Calling” feat. The-Dream, “Juice” and more here.
The band stopped by “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” this week to perform “Must’ve Been”—watch it here.
Furthermore, the band just confirmed Phase 2 of its World Tour, with new North American tour dates this fall (including stops in Chicago, Nashville, Brooklyn and beyond) as well as shows in London, Manchester
Chromeo’s summer dates kick off tonight at New York’s Terminal 5 with a very special album release show at Music Hall of Williamsburg tomorrow and further dates including Red Rocks Amphitheater, Los Angeles’ Hollywood Palladium and sets at all major festivals: Lollapalooza, Osheaga, Electric Forest, Outside Lands and more.
Featuring twelve tracks of funk and R&B history colliding with modern pop songcraft, Head Over Heels showcases Chromeo’s catchiest singles to date; yet it is first and foremost a cohesive body of work, no small feat in today’s ever-expanding playlist universe. Proudly opening their studio door for the first time, Dave 1 and P-Thugg intended Head Over Heels to be a polyphony, a collaborative celebration where their favorite artists’ signature touches could intermingle in Chromeo world. Accordingly, the album’s guestlist nods to superheroes of funk’s past (guitarist Jesse Johnson of The Time, revered session bassist Pino Palladino, Mtume vocalist Tawatha Agee), present (funkadelic lovechild DRAM, R&B auteur The-Dream, post-colonial emcee French Montana) and future (upstart London bad gal Stefflon Don, rising neo-soul star Amber Mark, downtown New York darlings Onyx Collective). Absolute legends Raphael Saadiq and Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkinseven join the party!
Sounding more confident than ever, Dave 1 stuffs his lyrics with mimosas, Mazda Miatas and miscellaneous romantic misadventures, cementing his signature neurotic spin on the break-ups to make-ups narrative. As evidenced by the album cover, P-Thugg fills pumps of his own, and his synth wizardry weaves a sonic palette far richer than any previous Chromeo release. There’s the moodymidnight strut of “One Track Mind,” the deep jazz-funk of “Just Friends” and the Minneapolis-by-way-of-West Coast frenzy of “Count Me Out”. This is also Chromeo’s guitar album if there ever was one: consider the Tattoo You Stones dirt on “Slumming It” and the furious Strat strumming on “Bad Decision”, equal parts Prince and Mother’s Milk era Chili Peppers. All throughout, Head Over Heels is driven by a beating heart that’s realer than any reference or guest appearance, eschewing trends for something truly timeless.
Chromeo is the duo of Montreal natives and high school best friends David “Dave 1” Macklovitch and Patrick “P-Thugg” Gemayel. The group rose to prominence with their seminal 2007 releaseFancy Footwork, heralding the dawn of the ‘80s electro-funk revival.
CHROMEO—HEAD OVER HEELS
1. Must’ve Been (featuring DRAM)
2. Don’t Sleep (featuring French Montana and Stefflon Don)
3. One Track Mind
4. Count Me Out
5. Bad Decision
6. Right Back Home To You (Interlude)
7. Just Friends (featuring Amber Mark)
8. Juice
9. Slumming It
10. Bedroom Calling pt. 1
11. Bedroom Calling pt. 2 (featuring The-Dream)
12. Room Service
Chromeo will be performing at Marathon Music Works in Nashville on Sept 22; tickets go on sale June 22.
Tickets start at $30 and are available here.
