Rating: NNNNN
There’s something beautifully simple about the Chromatics. From the barcode-less, austere minimalist touch of the Italians Do It Better signature to the less-is-more variant on their melancholy disco, Johnny Jewel’s project starring Ruth Radelet and Adam Miller is a sublime spin.
Their organic concept forsakes grinding, aggro trends in favour of a narrative-based structure that starts with a late-night phone call from Radelet to her lover. From there we’re put on blissful autopilot as Jewel steers us through Night Drive’s Moroder-like haunting synthesizers and reverb-pushed guitars and then navigates to a tranquillized state induced by Radelet’s lush, radiant voice.
The vibe is so smooth and laid-back that it’s hard to picture this getting much club action, though a track like Healer has enough pounding bass to motivate some footwork. But Night Drive isn’t meant for the disposable “banger” scene. This is dark disco with heart and soul.
