The very first thing you hear when you put on a Chromatics record (regardless if it’s an mp3 or not) is the crackle of vinyl, which pretty much fits in perfectly with the band’s aesthetic. On the new album “Kill for Love”, the Chromatics have not strayed far from their 70’s disco trance pop roots. Although the opening cover of Neil Young’s Into the Black didn’t really transfer quite well to their neo-disco sound, the rest of the record sounds like a true Chromatics album. If you don’t really know what that means, it sort of like being transplanted back to a local disco in the late 70’s where the DJ accidentally slowed down the record player from 45 to a 33 RPM because he took too many Quaaludes and couldn’t tell what speed it should be. A persistent bass line and echo-y drums are prominent through the record, and manage to sound melodic without too much drone. Keyboards still play a big role, but the band does a good job of mixing live instruments without relying too much on the synthesized sounds. Keep in mind, this IS a mellow record. But it, truly is, the best kind of mellow.
By Randy Nieto; April 5, 2012
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