Bear Hugs All Round

The acclaimed project of Joe Goddard from Hot Chip and London music scene mover ‘n’ shaker Raf Daddy, The 2 Bears have a new EP out in a few weeks on Southern Fried. The four-track ‘Bear Hug EP’, out on June 20^th, and forthcoming album signals that this is more than just a hobby for the big Hot Chip man.

Lead track ‘Take A Look Around’ features Alice Gold and Bear-man Raf Daddy himself on vocals, a languid slice of deep tech that moves into full-on big room house as it progresses over seven minutes.

‘In My Brain Is Like A Computer’ is a kind of bashment thing with cowbells, while housey chugger ‘Bear Hug’ features a deep growling voice singing “Ain’t no other drug as good as this here love/Gonna give you a bear hug”. EP closer ‘Banger’, meanwhile, does indeed bang like a dark techy beast.

The 2 Bears started playing together randomly around London before deciding that they had more in common than just the size of their bellies. A shared love of all sorts of music – from classic house and techno through to hip-hop and bashment – led to them working together on a couple of EPs, and now the pairing have a debut album in the pipeline as well as a slew of festival appearances lined up for the summer – including Glastonbury, Creamfields and Bestival.

There’s a launch party for the EP in London at The Nest on May 13^th, while the guys are heading out on a European tour over the next few weeks. As well as their regular Follow The Bears show on Ministry Radio, they will be recording an exclusive 6Mix for BBC 6Music in May, and they’ll be live on

Annie Mac’s BBC Radio 1 show on May 27^th.