Toro y Moi

Biography

Chaz Bear, born Chazwick Bradley Bundick on November 7, 1986, in Columbia, South Carolina, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and graphic designer known professionally as Toro y Moi. Born to a Filipino mother and African-American father, Bear grew up surrounded by diverse musical influences ranging from his parents' vinyl and tape collections to contemporary artists like Animal Collective, Sonic Youth, J Dilla, and Daft Punk. He attended Ridge View High School, where he formed the indie rock band the Heist and the Accomplice before graduating from the University of South Carolina in 2009 with a bachelor's degree in graphic design. Toro y Moi began as a bedroom project in 2007 that quickly evolved into live performances, eventually establishing Bear as a spearhead of the chillwave genre in the 2010s alongside contemporaries Washed Out and Neon Indian.

Bear's career took off when he signed to Carpark Records in mid-2009, releasing his debut album Causers of This in January 2010, which experimented with sampling and production techniques using the digital audio workstation Reason. Throughout the 2010s, Bear demonstrated remarkable sonic versatility, with each album marking significant stylistic departures: Underneath the Pine (2011) incorporated live instruments and horror movie soundtrack influences, Anything in Return (2013) blended 90s dance and R&B aesthetics, What For? (2015) shifted toward guitar-based rock inspired by Big Star and Talking Heads, and Outer Peace (2019) embraced pop-influenced funk and disco elements. His discography reads as an ingredients list of genres including hip-hop, chillwave, boogie, psychedelia, and sample-less instrumentals, earning him a reputation as a sonic chameleon constantly evolving his artistic approach.

Beyond his solo work, Bear has maintained an active presence in the music community through collaborations, live performances with his backing band, and multimedia projects. His contributions to music and the arts were formally recognized when Berkeley, California officially declared June 27, 2017 as 'Chaz Bundick Day.' Bear currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he continues to create and perform, with his eighth album Hole Erth representing his latest exploration of cultural and physical worlds through music.

Fun Facts

• Chaz Bear officially changed his name from Chaz Bundick, with the change being formally recognized by the city of Berkeley, California, which declared June 27, 2017 as 'Chaz Bundick Day' in honor of his contributions to music and the arts.
• Toro y Moi's second album, Underneath the Pine (2011), was recorded at Bear's home while he was simultaneously touring for his debut album Causers of This, showcasing his prolific work ethic.
• In April 2016, Bear and his band filmed a live concert movie and album in the Mojave Desert at the Trona Pinnacles rock formations with no audience present in a single day, inspired by Pink Floyd's innovative concert films.
• Bear is also an accomplished graphic designer with a bachelor's degree in graphic design from the University of South Carolina (2009), adding a visual arts dimension to his multifaceted creative practice.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Ernest Greene (Washed Out) - Fellow chillwave artist with whom Bear formed a close musical relationship during his school career (Chillwave movement collaboration) [Late 2000s onwards]
• Parents' vinyl and tape collection - Primary early musical influences spanning multiple genres from Michael Jackson to Elvis Costello (Diverse genre exposure) [Childhood]

Key Collaborators

• Tyler, the Creator - Worked together on What For? album (What For? (2015)) [2015]
• Washed Out - Featured on Samantha mixtape (Samantha mixtape (2015)) [2015]
• Rome Fortune - Featured on Samantha mixtape (Samantha mixtape (2015)) [2015]
• Nosaj Thing - Featured on Samantha mixtape (Samantha mixtape (2015)) [2015]
• Imari Mubarak - Live band bassist (Live performances) [Present]
• Andy Woodward - Live band drummer (Live performances) [2010–present]
• Anthony Ferraro - Live band keyboardist and backing vocalist (Live performances) [2013–present]

Artists Influenced

• Contemporary artists in chillwave movement - Helped launch the dreamy indie pop genre that became known as chillwave (Causers of This (2010) and subsequent albums) [2010s onwards]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. The Difference
2. Ordinary Pleasure (Outer Peace)
3. Flying High (feat. Toro y Moi) (Rodeo)
4. Daria
5. Rose Quartz (Anything in Return)
6. drip bounce _ 7_24_18 (Soul Trash)
7. So Many Details (Anything in Return)
8. Girl Like You (Boo Boo)
9. Images (feat. 454 & Toro y Moi) (13 Months of Sunshine)
10. Dark & Handsome (Angel's Pulse)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #chillwave, #electronic, #funk