News

Hot Chip Side Project, The 2 Bears, Release EP

• 11th Mar 2010

Four tracks laid down by The 2 Bears, each a rump shaking slab of unpretentious house, The 2 Bears debut EP is released on 12th April on Southern Fried.

The 2 Bears, ‘Follow The Bears’ EP distils the dance music eclecticism of its hirsute protagonists Raf and Joe. From ‘Mercy Time’, the twisted Teddy Bears’ Picnic take on Marvin Gaye and the sinister synth sounds of ‘Follow The Bear’, to the shimmering pop of ‘When Am I Going to Make a Living?’ and the uplifting lead off single ‘Be Strong’, the EP is packed with marvellous musical moments. Or as the Bears prefer to think of them – ‘Kodiak Moments’…

The Bears – Raf Rundell and Joe Goddard – first began crossing paths in DJ Booths. Straight Outta Brompton (well, Putney) Joe spends his time away from The 2 Bears as a producer, remixer, solo-artist and one fifth of an obscure outfit called Hot Chip; fellow Sarf Londoner Raf divides his time between club promotion, DJ outings as Greco-Roman Soundsystem, radio show hosting and artiste management.

The pairs DJ booth banter, soon led to a shared enthusiasm for house music and vague plans for a musical collaboration. Raf’s existence at the music industry coal face and first hand experience of the business’ financial travails, would make Sade’s When Am I Going To Make A Living a suitably irreverent subject for their first musical foray. So began several months of hanging out, making music ‘for the fun of it’ and ‘portamental’ arguments about obscure synths, that would wind up forming this EP.

Characterised by the hitherto untapped vocal stylings of Raf himself (Joe: ‘I didn’t know Raf could actually sing!’), the Bears have already received radio support from Annie Mac, Rob da Bank, Giles Peterson and Toddla T, drawn towards The 2 Bears 21st Century take on house, disco and everything in between.

RADIO SHOW – The 2 Bears have a weekly radio show ‘Follow The Bears’ on Ministry Of Sound Radio.

During which you can expect to hear ‘Bear’ tunes, ‘bare’ tunes, some ridiculous anecdotes, and some extremely skilled (unskilled) technical radio know-how…!

CLUB NIGHTS:
Friday 26th MARCH, T-BEAR @ T-Bar, London. * Quarterly residency *