Toro Y Moi Underneath The Pine

Carpark Records   CAK 59  CD/LP/Digital

300 dpi jpeg of front cover:

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300 dpi jpegs credit: Bryan Bush

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300 dpi jpegs of Chaz Bundick:

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credit: Jordan Blackmon

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credit: Samantha Beardsley

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credit: Patrick Jeffords

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credit: Christian Vetter

Columbia, South Carolina's Chaz Bundick (aka Toro Y Moi) rose to the fore of the music blogosphere in summer 2009 when he and a few peers made their hazy bedroom recordings the most talked-about sound of the season.  Critics across the board took notice of the range of his compositions, and his debut album, Causers of This, showcased his ability to make elements of Brian Wilson's pop, 80s R&B, and Stone's Throw hip hop coalesce into a distinct sound that's as suitable for a dancefloor as it is a pair of headphones.

When Chaz first signed to Carpark Records, the plan was to release two records in 2010-- one electronic and one with live instrumentation--and although it didn't quite fit into the same calendar year as his debut, Underneath the Pine is that latter offering. This release sees him following the same creative urges to completely different ends. Having spent the year listening to film composers like Ennio Morricone and François de Roubaix, Bundick returned to his home in Columbia, the birthplace of many Toro tracks of yore, to bring his new ideas to fruition. The result of these sessions is an album evocative of R. Stevie Moore's homespun ruminations, David Axelrod's sonic scope, Steve Reich-ian piano phrasing, and the pervasive funk of his first record. Underneath the Pine announces a new phase for an artist whose talent defies classification.

Marketing Points:

-         - North American press by Forcefield PR

-         - North American radio promotion by Terrorbird

-         - Toro Y Moi will be touring heavily in 2011 to promote the album including a stop at SXSW

-         - Very special music videos in the works

Special Interest:

-         -  Mixed at Chase Park Transduction (Animal Collective, Deerhunter, et. al.)

-          - Mastering engineer Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound

-         -  Toro Y Moi 2011 live band will be a quartet (previously a trio)

Release Date: February 22, 2011

Tracklisting: 1. Intro/Chi Chi 2. New Beat 3. Go with You 4. Divina 5. Before I'm Done 6. Got Blinded 7. How I Know 8. Light Black 9. Still Sound 10. Good Hold 11. Elise

UPC: CD-677517005929  LP-677517005912

Bio:

Born and raised in Columbia, South Carolina, 24-year-old ChazBundick (aka Toro Y Moi) has been toying with various musical projects since early adolescence. Having spent his formative years playing in punk and indie rock acts, the protean Toro Y Moi project has been his vessel for further musical exploration since 2001. In his latter years studying graphic design at the University of South Carolina, Chaz became increasingly focused on his solo work, incorporating electronics and allowing a wider range of influences—French house, Brian Wilson’s pop, 80s R&B, and Stones Throw hip-hop—to show up in his music.  By the time he graduated in spring 2009, Chaz had refined his sound to something all his own, and music journals across the board touted his hazy recordings as the sound of the summer.

Chaz started off 2010, which would prove to be Toro’s flagship year, by releasing his debut, Causers of This, in February. He toured extensively in support of the album, adding two more members—a bassist and drummer—to his live show, and steadily accrued more supporters and acclaim. Summer saw the release of the “Leave Everywhere” 7”, and in fall he issued a 12” single under his house music moniker, Les Sins.  Always a prolific creator, Chaz used the sparse downtime between tours to prepare and record his sophomore album.

Having spent the year listening to film composers like Françoise de Roubaix and Ennio Morricone, Chaz returned to his parents’ home in Columbia, the birthplace of many Toro tracks of yore, to bring his new ideas to fruition. The result of these sessions is Underneath the Pine, a deeply personal album that sees him putting down the samples and electronics and relying completely on live instrumentation.

Out on February 22, Underneath the Pine is a record evocative of R. Stevie Moore’s homespun ruminations, David Axelrod’s sonic scope, the spacey disco of Mandre, and the pervasive funk of his first record. It’s a new phase for an artist whose diverse curiosities make his music difficult to classify.