Chinese American Bear – Mama
Chinese American Bear today have shared their pulsating, textured new single “Mama,” the latest single from their new LP Dim Sum & Then Some, out May 8th via Moshi Moshi Records.
They’ve also announced North American and European tours, including dates at Berlin’s Kantine am Berghain (5/17), NYC’s Bowery Ballroom (6/21), Los Angeles’ The Echo (7/16), and more. “Mama” follows LP singles “No No Yeah Yeah (不不好啊好啊) and “All The People (所有人),” which have earned praise and support from FLOOD, KEXP, and more. Today’s single is a groovy, nostalgic track inspired by vocalist Anne Tong’s childhood family meals, the band explains:
Anne Tong: “I’ve always wanted to write a song with the phrase ‘chi fan le’. In Chinese families, every day revolves around meal times. Food is an extremely important part of the culture. Typically when a meal is cooked and ready to eat, moms will yell the phrase ‘chi fan le’, which translates to ‘it’s time to eat!’. And every Chinese kid knows that Chinese moms hate it when you’re late to the meal table, so you better run to the table the first time ‘chi fan le’ is yelled. “
Bryce Barsten: “I remember when I started visiting Anne’s family for meals and I kept hearing this phrase being shouted across the house: ‘chi fan le’. Anne explained to me and it became one of the first phrases I learned.”
The sounds on Dim Sum… are more musically dense and exploratory, marking a sonic evolution for the duo. The band finds themselves delving much further into experimental territory, while also incorporating more traditional pop elements than they ever have. There’s a nice mix of sonics on this album, featuring warbly guitars, hints of psychedelia, pop, disco, and strings, while also incorporating synth driven, electronic, sounds, as well as droney, hypnotic elements. The LP is a true reflection of the Chinese American Bear ethos: open, curious, and lighthearted.
Chinese American Bear is a lighthearted and quirky mandopop duo from Seattle, creating fun & eclectic bilingual English/Chinese ear candy. Comprised of Anne Tong and Bryce Barsten, the married couple creates groovy, and infectiously fun tunes in their home studio together. Their sound, resulting from the intersection of Barsten’s fondness for MGMT, The Flaming Lips, Pond, and Sly Stone, with Tong’s classical piano training and love for all things pop (Taylor Swift, Jonas Brothers), have allowed them to carve out their own brand of indelible indie pop. They’ve earned tens of millions of streams, global acclaim, and have been featured in VOGUE+, Paste Magazine, Under the Radar, celebrated by BBC Radio and KEXP (#1 album), and spotlighted across major Spotify playlists including All New Indie, Indie’s Top 50, Fresh Finds (#1 cover track), Bedroom Pop, Chill Vibes, and more. They toured internationally with the release of their second album Wah!!! including 15 cities in China, multiple trips to the UK, dozens of festivals, and support for the pop star/internet phenomenon Poppy (USA), and Greer (USA). Their music has been featured in the film The Wedding Banquet, Apple TV series Platonic, EA’s new “Skate” video game, an Apple commercial, and more.
Chinese American Bear – Tour Dates
5/14 – Brighton, UK – The Great Escape Festival
5/15 – Amsterdam, NL – London Calling Festival
5/17 – Berlin, DE – Kantine am Berghain
5/19 – Oxford, UK – Jericho Tavern
5/20 – Sheffield, UK – Yellow Arch
5/21 – Margate, UK – Where Else?
5/23 – Bristol, UK – Dot to Dot Festival
5/24 – Nottingham, UK – Dot to Dot Festival
6/16 – Washington, DC – Pie Shop
6/17 – Philadelphia, PA – PhilaMOCA
6/20 – Boston, MA – Red Room @ Cafe 939
6/21 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
6/23 – Toronto, ON – Baby G
6/25 – Chicago, IL – Subterranean
6/26 – Minneapolis, MN – Cloudland Theater
7/11 – Spokane, WA – BID Festival
7/14 – Phoenix, AZ – Rebel Lounge
7/16 – Los Angeles, CA – The Echo
7/19 – San Francisco, CA – The Independent
7/21 – Boise, ID – Shrine Social Club
7/23 – Portland, OR – Polaris Hall
7/24 – Vancouver, BC – Fox Cabaret
7/25 – Seattle, WA – Neumos
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