Toro Y Moi | Interview

Story by Dylan Bliss 

| Published Mar 1, 2011

Some artists simply find themselves out wading on a whim, just waiting for the perfect wave to ride their way back in. Chaz Bundick, the man behind Toro Y Moi, got lucky enough last summer to ride the biggest swell around, the ‘Chillwave.’ His debut LP, “Causers of This,” fit neatly into the atmospheric ebb and flow of other successful indie troups, all the while finding its own voice and momentum to deftly transition into his new record, “Underneath The Pine.”

Escaping many of the stylistic moves from his last effort, Bundick is pushing his sound into a more realized territory. He wants to make you dance, but not that much. He wants you to relax, but not too much. We asked him to share these new directions and projects, and he did.

Dailyer: Your real name is fairly out of the ordinary to begin with. Why did you decide to play under the moniker Toro Y Moi?

Bundick: Just because it’s fun. I’ve sorta had the name since I started making music. I spent a lot of time looking at band names. I don’t know, it sorta felt right just to make a name.

Dailyer: Your debut from last year, “Causers of This,” got some critical acclaim and seemed to help swell the ‘chillwave’ of last summer. Explain how you approached making your newest album differently; and how much did it have to do with the way the first album was received?

Bundick: I guess, when the first record came out, people didn’t know that I was going to put out another record relatively soon. So I knew I was going to be writing a traditional style recording, but I wasn’t sure what it was gonna sound like. The only thing I tried to do was make a segue. I think that segue was sort of like funk and soul and R&B. I felt like, with this record, what I tried to do was make the music that made the most sense at the time.

Dailyer: What are your favorite and least favorite parts of the production process?

Bundick: My favorite part is just the time I get alone to make the music. I’m happy when I get time, but I don’t get a lot of it. I don’t like it when things are not working, I guess; when I hear something that doesn’t work.

Dailyer: The vocals on the new tracks are somewhat clearer and easier to understand. Was it a conscious effort to communicate more directly with the listener?

Bundick: In a way, it was unintentional. It sort of just happened in the studio. We talked about bringing the vocals up some more. We explored a little more with it, until it really just came into fruition.

Dailyer: Explain your new dance oriented project, “Les Sins”, and how it contrasts to Toro Y Moi.

Bundick: I did this dance project because I felt like Toro Y Moi was really more of a personal project, and I wanted to turn people on to tracks that were easier. I don’t really have that many songs yet, but it’s definitely not as personal.

Dailyer: What’s your attitude towards the ebb and flow of what’s “popular” with indie music, and in what direction do you think it’s headed?

Bundick: I see it going in a more retro-dance-y sort of direction sometimes. I think I’m more attracted to the dance era inspired by the 60s and 70s dance music. Those genres seem to be moving forward the most. I feel like a lot of bands are getting into that funk-house feel.

Dailyer: Your album just dropped five days ago; what are you up to as of now?

Bundick: I’m at home, actually. We just got back from Austrailia. We leave in two weeks, and we’re just gonna work on practicing some more, getting things together.