With their 2007 album Night Drive, Chromatics became one of the most respected electronic/synth-pop groups of the 2000s, and subsequent releases have also received critical praise. Now, 20 years after its formation, the band — which includes Johnny Jewel, Ruth Radelet, Adam Miller, and Nat Walker — has announced its disbandment.
Radalet and Miller, the group’s only surviving original member, announced the news on Instagram today. The band’s message is as follows:
“After a long period of reflection, the three of us have made the difficult decision to end Chromatics. We would like to thank all of our fans and the friends we have made along the way — we are eternally grateful for your love and support. This has been a truly unforgettable chapter in our lives, and we couldn’t have done it without you. We are very excited for the future, and look forward to sharing our new projects with you soon.
With love,Ruth Radelet, Adam Miller and Nat Walker.”
Of note is the fact that for some reason, Jewel is not mentioned in the message. However, a representative for Jewel told Stereogum, “Johnny is extremely proud of his work with the project over the years and he’ll continue making music and supporting great art and artists through his label Italians Do It Better.”
While the band has released a number of well-received albums over the years, maybe their most important project of the last decade is one that has yet to be released: Dear Tommy was announced in 2014, and the band finally presented a fresh tracklist for the album last year after multiple delays. However, now that the band has disbanded, the project’s future is uncertain.
