The album, Mahal from Chez Bear aka Toro y Moi is the latest project where fans get to know him better at a personal level. So what can fans expect from Mahal? Chez brings it back to the retro sounds of the 1960s and ’70s psychedelic rock influences, alongside touches of ’90s indie rock.
The South Carolina native turned Bay Area resident has been dropping hints of what to expect in this new album. He's released four singles leading up to the album release which includes, "Déjà Vu," "The Loop," "Goes By Fast," and more. The 2-sided album has a total of 13 tracks with deep Filipino representation on its cover with a multi-colored Jeepney settled right in front of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
Toro y Moi tells The Chronicle that he never really shared his Filipino side and took this project as an opportunity to connect with his heritage. “I’ve never shared my Filipino side... Where I am in my life, I haven’t given myself the opportunities to rep this before. I wanted to do it right, but I wanted to do it in a fresh way.”
To help spread the word about the April 29th album drop, Toro hosted a Jeepney Soundsystem Pop Up in Oakland fans could drop in and have a listen to the music. Down in the Los Angeles area, he hosted a screening for the Goes By Fast: A Mahal Film with Eric André that takes fans in the BTS of making the album and filming around the Bay Area.
The listening party on April 27th let fans take in the album from start to finish before its debut. A highlight was the release of a full record video.
Chez and the crew will be taking Mahal on the road with the Toro y Moi Live Tour along with appearances at other summer and fall music festivals. For full details on where you can catch him live, check out ToroyMoi.com
Cover Photo Credit: Toro y Moi Instagram
