![]() ![]() There’s also this bluesy, Americana thing I wanted to touch on and highlight my Southern aspects, my roots, and elevate the South in a way. ![]() Themes from content consumption, how we consume, why we consume, and what’s happening to content and the digital era. That’s where the fresh juice is at for this record.īEAR: Lots of themes. The challenge for me was the lyrics and just getting out of that introverted, quarantine phase, to reflect the times now but also put myself out there. Making a rock song with fun basslines and guitar parts, that’s innate. Songwriting-wise, musically, it’s a return to form for me. To get all the musicians involved and to get all of these different assets, like the Jeep, was a new challenge. It’s not just a phase to make guitar music or even try to make a masterpiece. This record for me is doubling down on my psych-rock sound and really showing my dedication to this concept or this sound. With Mahal, were there any specific styles you were aiming for?īEAR: In a way, yes, but no. One of the things that sticks out to me about your music is how you can drastically change your sound from record to record. It was a challenge in a lot of ways, but I’m glad it’s finally making its way to people’s ears. It’s been a long time coming honestly, just to have worked on this record for about five years and then have the time to wrap it up and finish it during quarantine was all I needed. How does it feel to be releasing this album right now?ĬHAZ BEAR: It feels really good. He recently took the time to look back on his storied career and work his way up to the present day. But I’m slowly building my way and making my presence known.”įrom his 2009 breakout song, “Blessa,” to the time he self-referentially rode a mechanical bull on The Eric Andre Show from working with the now-arena-rapper Tyler, The Creator on a leaked track to collaborating with Flume and receiving his first Grammy nomination, Bear has seen and done a lot. And it is gonna slow me down, like I’m not going to excel as fast in either lane. “I think it’s taking a lot of time for me to build my foundation,” Bear says. There’s the chillwave era of records like 2010’s Causers Of This and 2011’s Underneath The Pine, but there’s also the pure rock of 2015’s What For? and the modern, danceable sounds of his last album, 2019’s Outer Peace. It’s typical of Bear to switch genres with each album, and it has made for a remarkably interesting career trajectory. “I just try to remember I’m doing this for fun, and I try to keep something fun in there.”įun is one of the many driving forces on Mahal, which sees Toro y Moi delving deep into the realm of psych-rock. “Each little hangout, each little show you go to, each coffee you have, everything is time management,” Bear explains via Zoom. When I ask Bear if his high-quantity output makes it more of an effort to stay connected with other collaborators, he says that everything he does is becoming more intentional. That’s not even counting the work that he’s primarily known for as Toro y Moi, the alias with which he’s about to release his seventh studio album, Mahal. The Oakland-based South Carolina native has an abundance of mixtapes, collaborations, side projects, art shows, and other creative endeavors under his belt. We’ve Got A File On You features interviews in which artists share the stories behind the extracurricular activities that dot their careers: acting gigs, guest appearances, random internet ephemera, etc.Ĭhaz Bear is prolific, to say the least. ![]()
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