‘We often write these songs that verge on being kids songs, and this is one of them. I love this contrast of it sounding so childish, but then we do things in the production that throw it off from being real ‘kids music.’ “Turn Up The Radio” is like a kids song for adults, a line we often like to blur. It’s all sunshine and good vibes, a true bop, bubble-gum pop, with a hint of psychedelic sunshine magic.‘
These are the words of Bryce Barsten, one half of Chinese American Bear, the indie pop duo he runs with his partner Anne Tong, when talking about their new single “Turn Up The Radio”. I could honestly just leave it at that, because it’s essentially what this song is: an endearlingly bubblegum indie track that’s equal parts radio pop and The Flaming Lips.
Chinese American Bear is another one of those lightning in a bottle quarantine projects, where creatives with too much time on their hands thanks to a global pandemic were left to their own devices and accidentally struck gold. In this case, Tong (a classically trained pianist) mainly set out to support Barsten, who had just gotten out of a previous band that consumed much of his waking life. Instead of the intended result, which was essentially to teach Barsten some Chinese and help him flesh out some previous ideas, their shared efforts became a mandopop project. The universe works in mysterious ways.
Their music is a gleeful mash-up of various strands of popular music, ranging from Taylor Swift to the Beach Boys while covering all sorts of twee and psychedelic ground in between. Think a more pop-centric take on MGMT and you’re getting pretty close. Lyrically, Chinese American Bear pays homage to Tong’s Chinese roots by referencing iconic foods and other cultural staples. Now, two records and a deal with Moshi Moshi deep, Tong and Barsten are set to release their third album Dim Sum & Then Some in May.
“Turn Up The Radio” is the final teaser we get for said record, and it’s every bit as infectious and out-there as a single should ideally be. Simple lyrics, sung in English and Chinese, are set to a disco beat and dreamy, psychedelic washes of guitar. Tong’s voice is sweet and charming, equal parts childlike wonder and comforting warmth, which pairs extremely well with the blankets of sound Barsten produces. This is a lovely song, no matter how you want to look at it. Of course, Tong has a few words to say about it as well:
‘This was a fun and quick one to write! Since this song has a happy upbeat vibe, we decided that we wanted to list all of our favorite things in the verses that bring us joy, instead of telling a story. It was a little bit inspired by “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music.‘
Dim Sum & Then Some is meant to mark a period of experimentation from the duo, branching out further into all directions covered by their sound without holding back on the pop appeal. Chinese American Bear is all about light-heartedness and curiosity, so appealing to that ‘inner child’ kind of wonderment and goofiness is definitely a great idea.
Word on the street is that their live sets are also a sight to behold; mascots, dancers, back-up singers, and endless enthusiasm carry the music of Chinese American Bear onto the stage in what their press material likens to ‘punk shows for toddlers‘. If that sounds like a good time to you, there’s a slew of live dates announced for Europe and North America in the near future, which you can peruse on the tour posters depicted below:
If you liked what you heard above, you might want to pre-order Dim Sum & Then Some; you can do so on Bandcamp. As I mentioned earlier, the album will be out on May 8 via Moshi Moshi Records. In the meantime, be sure to follow Chinese American Bear on social media (Facebook | Instagram | YouTube) and have a look at their website. You can find their previous releases by following those links as well.
