Quirky, playful, fun, and light-spirited; this is Kids Go Down (孩子们的时光), the new single by Seattle-based group Chinese American Bear. Made of real-life couple Anne Tong and Bryce Basten, this duo casually flirts between Mandarin and English and has been crafting an easily recognisable sound that bridges Chinese mando-pop and Western indie pop. In less than a month, they’ll be releasing Wah!!!, their sophomore album, and in on the final sprint to get there, they’ve given their audience just another tease of what’s coming on October 18th.
After previous tracks including Feelin’ Fuzzy (毛绒绒的感觉), Yummy Yummy Yummy (好吃好吃), and Take Me to Beijing (一起回北京), Anne and Bryce are now releasing the fifth single off of their upcoming LP. Speaking about the song, she says: “This song really encapsulates the essence of Chinese American Bear for me. It’s meant to be bright, happy, child-like, and fun to dance to, with nonsensical lyrics that doesn’t have deep meaning. The verses actually reference a Chinese children’s nursery rhyme and it means “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, climb a mountain to kill a tiger, count with me, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.” I thought it would be fun to share a very familiar childhood nursery rhyme with a western audience and connect with the Chinese diaspora who may have heard this when they were younger.”
Working on the visual aspect as well, Chinese American Bear have posted a music video directed by Hunter Boen (with whom they had worked previously) in the middle of nature, where we see the couple play with, dance, and enjoy the company of a group of kids on a meadow. “We shot it on my family's llama farm where I grew up. It was a crazy day. Extremely challenging, but very fun,” says Bryce. “Working with kids was a joy. Seeing their faces light up looking at the camera gear, getting nervous before a new take, or remembering their positions. It reminded me of experiences in my childhood/early teens that really inspired me to make art, and the excitement (and difficulty) that surrounds creativity. I hope this was one of those sparks.