James Curd is no new face to the Chicago dance scene. I got a chance to catch him live back when he was with Greenskeepers at “Meltdown” here in Dallas a few years back. Recently, he teamed up with his old time buddy Ziggy Franklin to record some new material. The result was a distinguished album, a tour, and a record being released with Smash Hit Music.

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[audio:http://OhhSoFamous.com/Music/James Curd Presents Ziggy Franklin - I Never Knew.mp3]

~Ohh! So Famous!

Last month we were introduced to the next chapter in music from Chromeo. “Don’t Turn The Lights On” is the second single on their LP set for release on September 14th entitled Business Casual. They are currently on a tour until the end of August in support of the upcoming release. We got a chance to chat with Dave on the phone before his set last night in Boston about the album, the state of music, and cultivating their brand of imagery.

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You guys have a new album coming out soon, “Business Casual”. What can we expect and do you have any personal favorites on the album?

In both our cases, our personal favorite is “J’ai Claque la Porte”, which is the french ballad on the album. It’s sort of a new “Momma’s Boy” if you will, being something different from our more traditional sound that we’re really proud of and happy with.

I could tell from the video it had more of an upper class feel to it.

Yea, exactly. We just put out another video yesterday, we’re just trying to go somewhere we haven’t gone before. There’s something a little more darker and sexier about it. The last record was really bubbly and fun.

Is dancing a big part of you or was it something you learned for the video?

My friend, I’m going to disappoint you greatly and if you hang up the phone I completely understand but there’s a dance double in that video. He’s also 1 foot and a half shorter than me and when we finished the video, Pete and I were convienced that everyone was going to be able to tell. Sure enough, nobody was.

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What’s the wierdest thing that’s happened to you guys while on tour?

Recently, we went to Serbia and played an amazing festival over there, it was one of our favorite gigs. But the whole experience of getting into that country, our crew waiting at the border in the middle of the night for hours and having to bribe people to get in. This wierd hotel which was really chic but in a very sorta soviet post communist era way with the hookers in the lobby.

That was slightly surreal. A little David Lynch meets Soviet block. Not to mention the fact that you couldn’t get ketchup at the restaurants.

What gear and do you guys use for recording and live setups?

A bunch of 80′s and late 70′s analog equipment. Anything from the Moog and even more modern emulators of those vintage synths. We definately try to keep everything vintage.

Chromeo has a very defined artistic style. What are the main inspirations behind the visuals of the band?

All the 80′s and 70′s iconography. We would sit and look at record covers for hours and obviously in the 70′s and 80′s they had different technologies. Something that would be more on an arcahic technologoy of creating album covers where you would have to actually do some collages, manually cut, superimpose stuff and get really striking results.

There’s a design company called Hypnosis and they did a bunch of really classic early 80′s album covers. That’s a huge influence on our aesthetic. Anything from that all the way to Classic ZZ top, Micheal Jackson, Robert Palmer movies, to 90′s Hip hop actually.

Anyone recently you would say you grab influence from?

No, I think we admire other comtemporary bands that are equally as stylized as we are even though there style is different. That could be anyone from Daft Punk, to Kayne, to Justice, to Vampire Weekend. They all have really defined styles and make strong stylistic choices even though it looks nothing like us. That’s what we really respect.

What kind of animal are you and why?

A girraffe cause I’m tall and skinny.

Today with electronic music, just about anyone is able to produce a track in his or her room and throw it up online. Do you think with music being so available, it has decreased the shelf life of singles, albums, and the artist’s overall time spent in the lime light?

No, I don’t think so. I think it’s great from up and coming musicians to make their stuff available and heard. I think we all benefit from it because we hear stuff that we never had access to before. I don’t think it really hurts established artists because first of all, they have a bigger promotional machine behind them for better or worse so they can afford to stay in the lime light longer. Obviously there is a huge amount of information out there but I think it’s up to us to learn how to filter through it and select the stuff we deem the most interesting.

Where did the name Chromeo come from?

I came up with it one morning quite a few years ago and it’s a mix between Chrome and Romeo.

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[audio:http://OhhSoFamous.com/Music/Chromeo - Night By Night (Midnight Conspiracy Remix).mp3]

Other than getting Lindsay Lohan out of jail, what is the most important thing we need to fix as a society?

Education system and Health Care.

Is there sense of a brotherly rivalry between you and A-trak? Has it been a driving factor for your career choice?

No, there’s no rivarly, we’re extremely close and we work together on everything.

What is the best advice you an offer to upcoming musicians?

Perseverance and integrity. I don’t want to get preachy but if there’s anything that anyone can learn from the career we’ve had is that if you keep doing what you do long enough people might not take you seriously at first but then there’s an enormous amount of respect that comes with that perserverance and continuity.

Favorite Saturday morning cartoon as a kid?

I didn’t watch alot of them. I guess Roadrunner.

~Ohh! So Famous!

These guys look like they would show up somewhere in your dreams…
Would you run?
Have a conversation?
Play a game of monopoly?
Invite them to a party?
What kind of music do you think they listen to?
What are their names?
Have you seen Inception yet?

I’m pretty damn excited for today’ss post. Why?

Well click the play button…

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[audio:http://OhhSoFamous.com/Music/Mikky.mp3]



I know, great stuff right? Mikky Ekko is a post-pop solo artist out of Nashville, TN who released their debut album in 2009. It’s refreshing to get some music in with such an organic sound. Keep your eyes peeled for his second studio album which will debut in the near future.

Moving right along, we’ve got a Jose Gonzalez remix out of Don E to kick back to. I’ve always been a huge fan of UK garage and was sold the moment the drums were introduced in this track. With similar ambient elements in his music, it’s easy to see why Don notes Circa Survive as his biggest music influence.

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[audio:http://OhhSoFamous.com/Music/JOSE GONZALEZ - CROSSES (DON E REMIX).mp3]

~Ohh! So Famous!

I mentioned earlier this week about what great things I’ve been getting through the pipeline. Every once in awhile you come across an act that has the complete package. Kamp! is one of those groups that just get it. The music, the visual, and the performance aspects are all present.

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[audio:http://OhhSoFamous.com/Music/Kamp! - Heats.mp3]

Kamp! is a electro pop trio that hails from Poland. They are a perfect fit between the electro pop of today and the inspiring sounds of the 80′s. I’ve had these guys on repeat for the past couple days. Look for their debut album in Autumn of 2010.

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[audio:http://OhhSoFamous.com/Music/Kamp! - Distance of the Modern Hearts.mp3]

~Ohh! So Famous!

The Explorers are an electro rock duo out of Sheffield, UK who formed in late 2009. With breathe easy vibes that fit between Phoenix and MGMT, this act is going to have no problem finding a home.

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[audio:http://OhhSoFamous.com/Music/The Explorers - Longest Night.mp3]

These guys are currently unsigned but with such well placed hooks and songs of youth past, don’t expect this to last. They are currently recording a new album and plan to tour in support of the release.

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[audio:http://OhhSoFamous.com/Music/The Explorers - Death or Glory.mp3]

~Ohh! So Famous!

I’ve been getting some fantastic new material to blog about lately. Thank you everyone for your submissions, keep them coming in.

I love musicians who refuse to limit themselves to the stereotypes of genres. Mitten is a female indie pop duo out of Brooklyn who have found a perfect balance of electronic and pop music. This first track “Similar Sense”, couldn’t help remind me of Phoenix.

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[audio:http://OhhSoFamous.com/Music/Mitten - Similar Sense.mp3]

After taking one listen, it’s not hard to see why they have been gaining enormous support from all corners of them internets. Mittens is currently recording an EP and has plans to release it later this year.

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[audio:http://OhhSoFamous.com/Music/Mitten - Green.mp3]

Next up we have My Satellite out of Los Angeles. This young producer clean production style make for an electrifying sound. The layers of instrumentation in his track, “A Nighttime Daydream” explode into your eardrums.

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[audio:http://OhhSoFamous.com/Music/My Satellite - A Nighttime Daydream.mp3]

~Ohh! So Famous!

Let me start with saying, I dislike the original of this song. I love the Robbery remix of “Carry Out”. A track filled enough of dirty bass to fill even Timbaland’s appetite. This is a straight up club banger that will get you amped for the weekend.

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[audio:http://ohhsofamous.com/Music/Timbaland%20ft.%20Justin%20Timberlake%20-%20Carry%20Out%20(Robbery%20Remix).mp3]

Paris, France brings us yet another great electro pop group by the name of LEDGE. This band is reminiscent of MGMT’s early work which is a huge compliment coming from me. I think if MGMT had stayed true to their earlier work and just tweaked a few things in order to grow as a band, they’d still have “X factor” that made people fall in love with them. So big ups to LEDGE for stepping up and filling this void.

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[audio:http://ohhsofamous.com/Music/Ledge%20-%20Make%20Me%20Older.mp3]
~Ohh! So Famous!

PS: In case you haven’t heard, Rusko and Diplo are working with Britney on her new album. And so it begins.

SyncDrifters are a new remix outfit out of Poland who are “rockin” the clubs. After listening to their new remix of the Mint Chicks, I would definitely have to say that they “rule”. Ohh Gawd… shoot me now. But seriously, great remix.

Mint Chicks – Crazy Yes, Dumb No (SyncDrifters Remix)
[audio:http://ohhsofamous.com/Music/Work.mp3]

Got this LIGHTSOVERLA remix in my email awhile back and glad to finally be posting it. Their remix of “Better Than Love” is a sensational blend of 80′s lead synths and sensory consuming pads.

Hurt – Better Than Love (LightsOverLa Remix)

[audio:http://ohhsofamous.com/Music/Hurts%20-%20Better%20Than%20Love%20(Lightsoverla%20remix).mp3]

Headed out for the night., til next time, late.

~Ohh! So Famous!

I’ve gotten some amazing new music in the pipeline recently.
So many great new artists to blog about!

First up we have an amazing funkalicious new song outta the duo Le Freaks. This is a fresh project that consists of Kill Paris and Nicbalz. They have managed to capture a perfect balance of disco and a nu lo-fi aesthetic.

Le Freaks – Le Freak
[audio:http://ohhsofamous.com/Music/Le%20Freaks%20-%20Le%20Freak.mp3]

Next up we have an artist out of California that goes by Ramon Zamora Jr. Big year for him signing with the Kosmo Net Label. The perfectly simple melody behind Nonnsha’s vocals make for a down-tempo yet dancey song. I can’t wait for his future releases.

Ramon Zamora Jr. (ft Nonnsha) – 2 Bit Terror
[audio:http://ohhsofamous.com/Music/Ramon%20Zamora%20Jr.%20(feat%20Nonnsha)%20-%202%20bit%20terror.mp3]

Last up, we have a massive track out of Monosurround. This one is just full of win. From it’s staccato intro to it’s much anticipated drop it’s everything you’d want from an electro ditty.

Monosurround – Hello World (Monosurround’s Club Rework)
[audio:http://ohhsofamous.com/Music/Hello%20World%20(Monosurround's%20Club%20Rework).mp3]