(Turbo/Modular)

Chromeo are a hip hop duo from Montreal who put together ‘She’s In Control” under strong support from the prolific electro producer, DJ and Turbo label Boss Tiga. Dave 1 and P-Thugg had been building respect as local hip-hop performers, ‘She’s In Control’ is their journey into an electronic sound.

The tunes here are constituted mainly with drum machines, synthesizers and vocodered vocals. The sound is a mash of 80’s disco-electro-disco-funk with a strong optimism and positivity.

A number of tracks on ‘She’s in Control’ have been released previously on vinyl 12’s and have had their fair share of contact with some of the ‘it’ producers of right now. The R&B cheeky bouncing catchy ‘You’re so Gangsta’ was one of these and remixed by Playgroup.

‘Needy Girl’ was published by Vice magazine and has an unstoppable infectious synth-pop power while ‘Me and My Man’ features some rad drum machine rolls. ‘Destination: Overdrive’ has a synthy ‘Eye of the Tiger’ feel to it and has been remixed by the DFA.

Other standouts on the album include the instrumental ‘Since you were gone’ and the breakin’ tune ‘Ah Oui Comme Ca’.

The album does get trying at times where the whole 80’s synth pop thing gets a little overdone – many will have their limits to how much of this stuff they can take.

However, overall this album is fun, funky, has a charming kitsch quality about it and well worth a listen.