Beautiful People 2004: Chromeo

Chromeo wants to be taken seriously. Too bad. The synth-laden tracks, talkbox lyrics and premium drum machines on the Montreal duo's first full-length, She's in Control (Vice), have listeners crying irony and invite comparisons to countless '80s acts, from Hall & Oates to the Timex Social Club.

"'Are they really joking, or are they really serious, or are they seriously joking, or are they joking about being serious?'" mocks Dave 1 (aka Dave Macklovitch), half of the electro-funk twosome. Dave and his childhood best friend, P-Thugg (née Patrick Gemayel), have been collaborating since they formed a funk band called Rubbadoid Crew back in high school. Now, as Chromeo, they've opened for the likes of the Scissor Sisters, Tiga, the Streets and James Chance. A mad multitasker, Dave is also CEO and founder of indie hip-hop label Audio Research Records, hip-hop editor at Vice magazine, brother of all-star cut-up DJ A-Trak and a Ph.D. candidate in French language and literature at Columbia University. P-Thugg (who in his Clark Kent incarnation is an accountant) may come off as a gangsta -- but only until you ask him to name his favorite singer. "Phil Collins," he says without missing a beat. "No Jacket Required. '83 to '87."

Turns out they're not kidding, and that's what keeps Chromeo grinding toward acceptance -- no winking required. "If a song were to come out today called 'When Doves Cry,' people would say 'That is so cheesy!'" claims Dave. "Nobody thought Prince was a joker. I want to come to a point when we can come out with a song called 'Cupid Took His Arrow Back,' and people will say, 'That's just Chromeo doing their thing.'"