The 2 Bears, we are led to believe, began life as a
light-hearted, throwaway project in which
Hot Chip’s Joe Goddard and London DJ
Raf Rundell combined a long-running joke about their grizzly statures with
japes in the studio. Recording the kind of dance music they had boogied to
during their formative years, the duo churned out feel-good beats that took generous helping of Basement Jaxx’s early sound, elements of UKG at its funkiest, and carnival soundsystem
soul. The project was
meant to be a light-hearted divergence from their other musical projects, but from the
overwhelming reception of their first release ‘Follow The Bear’ (a staple in Jamie Jones' and Seth Troxler's sets in 2010), it was clear that this was a partnership cut out for more than just studio gimmickry. Indeed, it is the innocence and optimism two-grizzled men in a studio whimsically dreaming of the
raves of their adolescence, whilst never resorting to nostalgia or pastiche, that provides precisely the blueprint that has lent them their charm (and success) thus far.
Moreover, ‘Be Strong’ couldn’t come at a better time. As
Azari & III’s 2011 LP continues to grow in reputation beyond clubbing
spheres and The xx announce plans to follow their debut with a dance music
album, credible and commercial house music seem once more to be approaching a
crossover point again (in some camps, anyway). Popular British dance music is
in a good place, and part of it is thanks to the non-inclusive thinking as championed by the eclectic
approach The 2 Bears have heralded. And
in this regard ‘Be Strong’ is particularly rich, drawing on pretty much
every UK dance music styles you can think of, from dancehall to old-school
house, garage, bass, soul and ska.
Whilst those who have been enjoying the duo’s sounds for a
while will recognise more than a few of the cuts (the infectious ‘Bear
Hug’, the old-school house key of 'Work', the bassy UKG of ‘Ghosts & Zombies’ and the chugging bassline of
the album’s title track), there is plenty new material to get your teeth into.
Mid-album point ‘Warm & Easy’ is a lazy summer anthem brimming with charisma and
optimism, its melodic chords and lyrics of ‘test matches on the radio... hot
loving in the summer time’ evoking a hazy day in the capital. Similarly affecting is 'Time In Mind' with its the country and blues guitar
chords combined with dancehall vibes, for a bizarrely sentimental slice of
jailbird rock. Later track ‘Faith’ plays like a piece
of avante-garde electronica, with its warped analogue synths and haunting (or
is it absurd?) vocal-sample of someone bemoaning the fact that ‘they haven’t
got a pill to increase your faith’.
'Heart Of The Congos’ comes the closest to exposing the true
roots of The 2 Bears musical convictions; a ska and reggae infused homage, it
sees Raf’s dulcet deadpan weaving the autobiographic narrative of a young man discovering rave
culture for the first time. A respectful nod to The Congos’ 1977 album of the
same name, the tender and nostalgic number communicates perfectly why The 2
Bears project has been such a success: it engages with rose-tinted memories of
past ideals and movements, on a level beyond musical nostalgia and from an incredibly personal perspective.
With
such a wide net of sounds and textures, the greatest merit of ‘Be Strong’ is
that rather than falling apart under the weight of so many points of influence,
it is both incredibly coherent and easy-going. The album has been constructed with
home listening in mind. From the gentle, xylophone-totting, instrumental opener
‘The Bird And The Bees’ to the steel-drums and Caribbean soul of closing track
‘Church’, you can tell that incredible care to detail and thoughtfulness has
gone into every aspect of the album’s arrangement. Very much at home on Norman
Cook’s label, ‘Be Strong’ mirrors the dance-pop sensibilities of Fatboy Slim’s
90’s albums; sun-drenched, infectiously
happy dance-pop. It seems too easy a cliché to suggest that Britain might be
due another mainstream house revival but, with albums as versatile and charming
as this poised to dominate the musical horizon of 2012, to suggest otherwise
would be being churlish.