Toro Y Moi
Encyclopedia
Chazwick Bundick better known by his stage name Toro Y Moi, is an American recording artist and producer. His music has taken on many forms since he began recording, but he is often identified with the chillwave
movement of summer 2010. As of 2011, his sound has struck out toward progressive rock, especially in a live setting.
The name "Toro y Moi" can be roughly translated to "Bull and Me".
Bundick was born on 7 November 1986, in Columbia, South Carolina
, and attended Ridge View High School where he formed well-known Columbia indie rock
band The Heist and the Accomplice with three schoolmates. He is of Filipino
descent from his mother and African-American descent from his father.
Bundick graduated from the University of South Carolina
in spring of 2009 with a bachelor's degree
in graphic design
. Late in his school career, Bundick formed a close musical relationship with fellow chillwave luminary Ernest Greene who plays under the name Washed Out
.
He has since been signed to Carpark Records
, on which he released his first full-length album Causers of This
in January 2010.
His second album, Underneath the Pine
, was released on February 22, 2011. He has been chosen by Caribou
to perform at the ATP Nightmare Before Christmas
festival that they co-curate in December 2011 in Minehead, England. On September 13, Toro Y Moi released an EP titled Freaking Out. The EP features a cover of "Saturday Love
" by Alexander O'Neal
& Cherrelle
.
Chaz also has a side project focusing more on dance-style music called "Les Sins."
Chillwave
Chillwave, sometimes also referred to as glo-fi, is a genre of music whose artists are often characterized by their heavy use of effects processing, synthesizers, looping, sampling, and heavily filtered vocals with simple melodic lines....
movement of summer 2010. As of 2011, his sound has struck out toward progressive rock, especially in a live setting.
The name "Toro y Moi" can be roughly translated to "Bull and Me".
Bundick was born on 7 November 1986, in Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
, and attended Ridge View High School where he formed well-known Columbia indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band The Heist and the Accomplice with three schoolmates. He is of Filipino
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
descent from his mother and African-American descent from his father.
Bundick graduated from the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
in spring of 2009 with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in graphic design
Graphic design
Graphic design is a creative process – most often involving a client and a designer and usually completed in conjunction with producers of form – undertaken in order to convey a specific message to a targeted audience...
. Late in his school career, Bundick formed a close musical relationship with fellow chillwave luminary Ernest Greene who plays under the name Washed Out
Washed Out
Washed Out is the stage name of the American chillwave musician Ernest Greene .-Career:In June 2009, Greene graduated with a Master of Library and Information Science degree from the University of South Carolina and was unable to find a job as a librarian...
.
He has since been signed to Carpark Records
Carpark Records
Carpark Records is an American independent record label based in Washington, D.C. .-Signed artists:* 242.pilots* Beach House* Cloud Nothings* Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez* Belong* Casino Versus Japan* Class Actress...
, on which he released his first full-length album Causers of This
Causers of This
Causers of This is the debut album from the artist Toro Y Moi, released on January 4, 2010, on Carpark records.- Track listing :- Reception :...
in January 2010.
His second album, Underneath the Pine
Underneath the Pine
Underneath the Pine is the second album from the artist Toro Y Moi, released on February 22, 2011 on Carpark Records. The album was given the "Best New Music" award by Pitchfork. The Korean Edition of the album features the bonus track "Ricardo And Ryne."...
, was released on February 22, 2011. He has been chosen by Caribou
Caribou (musician)
Daniel Victor Snaith is a composer, musician and recording artist under stage names Caribou, Manitoba and Daphni. Under the supervision of Kevin Buzzard, he obtained a PhD in mathematics at Imperial College London.- Career:...
to perform at the ATP Nightmare Before Christmas
All Tomorrow's Parties (music festival)
All Tomorrow's Parties is a music festival which takes place at Camber Sands holiday camp in East Sussex and Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead, Somerset, England....
festival that they co-curate in December 2011 in Minehead, England. On September 13, Toro Y Moi released an EP titled Freaking Out. The EP features a cover of "Saturday Love
Saturday Love
"Saturday Love" was a top ten US R&B hit, and a top ten UK hit song duetted by American R&B singers Cherrelle and Alexander O'Neal; released in 1985...
" by Alexander O'Neal
Alexander O'Neal
Alexander O'Neal is an American R&B singer. He is best-known for the songs "If You Were Here Tonight" and "Fake", and the duets with Cherrelle, "Saturday Love" and "Never Knew Love Like This".-Biography:...
& Cherrelle
Cherrelle
Cheryl Anne Norton, better known by her stage name, Cherrelle , is an American R&B singer who gained fame in the 1980s...
.
Studio albums
- Causers of ThisCausers of ThisCausers of This is the debut album from the artist Toro Y Moi, released on January 4, 2010, on Carpark records.- Track listing :- Reception :...
(January 2010) - Underneath the PineUnderneath the PineUnderneath the Pine is the second album from the artist Toro Y Moi, released on February 22, 2011 on Carpark Records. The album was given the "Best New Music" award by Pitchfork. The Korean Edition of the album features the bonus track "Ricardo And Ryne."...
(February 2011)
EPs
- "Blessa" (7") (2009)
- "Body Angles" (cassette, Ltd, C20) (2009)
- "Left Alone at Night" (CD, promo + 12") (2009)
- "Leave Everywhere" (digital, 7") (2010)
- Toro y Moi / Cloud Nothings (Split 7") (2010)
- "Freaking Out" (CD/vinyl) (2011)
Remixes
- The Longcut – "Repeated" (Toro Y Moi Remix)
- Neon Indian – "Deadbeat Summer" (Toro Y Moi Remix)
- Tegan and Sara – "Alligator" (Toro Y Moi Remix)
- Washed Out – "Feel It All Around" (Toro Y Moi Remix)
- Cut Copy – "Blink and You'll Miss a Revolution" (Toro Y Moi Remix)
- Tyler, The CreatorTyler, the CreatorTyler Okonma , better known by his stage name Tyler, The Creator, is an American rapper, record producer, music video director, actor, graphic artist and fashion designer from Los Angeles, currently signed to English independent record label XL Recordings and his own record label, Odd Future...
– "French!" (Toro Y Moi Remix)
Other
Contrary to popular belief, Sides of Chaz is not a Toro y Moi demo, but a collection of Bundick's experimental "stream of consciousness" recordings under his side project "Sides of Chaz". In addition to this, Chaz also feels as though he has moved beyond the "chillwave" genre, and that "chillwave" was a point where many similar artists started off. He said in an interview At The Sinema that "all that stuff is really good music, like Ernest Green (Washed Out) and Neon Indian. I’m a big fan of all of that, but I think [chillwave] was just a small little period where we all were, coincidentally making the similar music." Chaz is also a multi-instrumentalist.Chaz also has a side project focusing more on dance-style music called "Les Sins."
External links
- Toro y Moi's Blog
- An interview with Chaz Bundick on The Marketplace of Ideas
- An Interview with Chaz Bundick on Bad Vibes