White Women
Funky synth leads, ’80s drum machines, and a well-studied electro revivalism give Chromeo’s fourth full-length album a sophisticated, sparkling vintage sheen. Even though the sharp-witted wordplay that established the duo’s reputation on tunes like “Bonafied Lovin” and “Momma’s Boy” is here in spades, the crack execution of *White Women* is no joking matter. The dazzling “Sexy Socialite” drops a coy pick-up line (“I wish you were a socialist instead of worrying about your name on the list.”) over a white-hot groove. Elsewhere, contributions from Toro y Moi, Vampire Weekend\'s Ezra Koenig, and Solange round out the duo’s dance-oriented triumph.
Chromeo have made it a decade without a widely beloved full-length—instead, they're known more for a few great singles and their winking revivalist aesthetic. But in 2014, this works in their favor: with no classic hanging over their heads and no true expectations, it's easy to be seduced by their quietly fantastic fourth album White Women.
The dynamic duo are back again with their fourth electro-funk opus. Expect: a heavy dose of innuendo, big-name collaborations and serious groove.
The late German photographer Helmut Newton has been a formative influence on Chromeo’s David Macklovitch (stage name Dave 1…
Named after a coffee table book from fashion photographer Helmut Newton, White Women is an equally titillating, prose-free, and '80s-embracing effort from Canadian electro-pop duo Chromeo, who are hitting their stride when it comes to hooks, although they arguably stumble when it comes to cute. Case in point is a light electro lark called "Sexy Socialite," an easy singalong candidate if "I could be your boyfriend and your counselor" and other cringe-worthy bits didn't drive the track off the cheeky cliff, but this minor speed bump is overshadowed by 11 other cuts that could have come from a Prince side project launched during the fruitful Purple Rain era. Finger-poppin' funk and Morris Day-styled come-ons like "What matters to me is what's inside/And a little backside too/Can I get a bird's eye view?" drive the cool swaying single "Over Your Shoulder" into highlight territory.
Album review + Exclusive stream: Chromeo, 'White Women'. Listen to the funky pair's new long-player, featuring 'Sexy Socialite' and 'Jealous (I Ain't With It)', now!
With White Women, Chromeo is certainly in the right place in their careers at the right time.
There's serious songwriting chops beneath Chromeo's provocative Helmut Newtonisms and tongue-in-cheek delivery, writes <strong>Lanre Bakare</strong>