Chinese American Bear, the Seattle-based duo of Anne Tong and Bryce Barsten, today share new single 'Mama (妈妈)' - a new taste of upcoming album 'Dim Sum & Then Some', out 8th May via Moshi Moshi Records. Alongside the new single, the band have announced new North American and European tours, including appearances at The Great Escape, Dot To Dot and London Calling, plus dates at Berlin's Kantine am Berghain (17th May), New York's Bowery Ballroom (21st June), Los Angeles' The Echo (16th July), and more.
Inspired by vocalist Anne Tong's childhood family meals, new single 'Mama (妈妈)' is a nostalgic, warmly textured track - which follows the previously released album singles 'No No Yeah Yeah (不不好啊好啊)' and 'All The People (所有人)'.
On new single 'Mama (妈妈)', the band said:
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."
Following the success of their 2024 full-length 'Wah!!!' - new album 'Dim Sum & Then Some' showcases a more musically dense and exploratory vision, marking a sonic evolution for the duo. Delving further into experimental territory while embracing more traditional pop elements than ever before, the album forms a positive and lighthearted collage of the duo’s life together - exploring food, small joys, Chinese-American upbringing, love, and fantasy.
Blending warbling guitars with hints of psychedelia, pop, disco and strings - alongside synth-driven electronics and droney, hypnotic textures - 'Dim Sum & Then Some' reflects the Chinese American Bear ethos: open, curious and lighthearted.
Chinese American Bear's new album 'Dim Sum & Then Some' is out 8th May via Moshi Moshi Records. New single 'Mama (妈妈)' is out now. Chinese American Bear tour Europe and North America May-July.
LIVE DATES
- 14 May - Brighton, UK - The Great Escape Festival
- 15 May - Amsterdam, NL - London Calling Festival
- 17 May - Berlin, DE - Kantine Am Berghain
- 19 May - Oxford, UK - Jericho Tavern
- 20 May - Sheffield, UK - Yellow Arch
- 21 May - Margate, UK - Where Else?
- 22 May - Kingston, UK - Banquet Records
- 23 May - Bristol, UK - Dot To Dot Festival
- 24 May - Nottingham, UK - Dot To Dot Festival
- 16 June - Washington, DC, US - Pie Shop
- 17 June - Philadelphia, PA, US - PhilaMOCA
- 20 June - Boston, MA, US - Red Room @ Cafe 939
- 21 June - New York, NY, US - Bowery Ballroom
- 23 June - Toronto, ON, CA - Baby G
- 25 June - Chicago, IL, US - Subterranean
- 26 June - Minneapolis, MN, US - Cloudland Theater
- 11 July - Spokane, WA, US - BID Festival
- 14 July - Phoenix, AZ, US - Rebel Lounge
- 16 July - Los Angeles, CA, US - The Echo
- 19 July - San Francisco, CA, US - The Independent
- 21 July - Boise, ID, US - Shrine Social Club
- 23 July - Portland, OR, US - Polaris Hall
- 24 July - Vancouver, BC, CA - Fox Cabaret
- 25 July - Seattle, WA, US - Neumos