FEATURE: Spotlight: Chanpan — Music Musings & Such

FEATURE:

Spotlight

Chanpan

__________

I have seen others…

PHOTO CREDIT: Oliver Leone

write about Chanpan, so I wanted to check them out and collate some interviews with them. Their recent single, i got a gun, is woozy and dreamy, but it is also fiery and has this air of darkness. Chanpan is an emerging N.Y.C. Asian-American band composed of Grace Dumdaw, identical twins, Lance and Matthew Tran. I love what they are putting out. NME recently interviewed them, so I want to end with that. There are a couple of other chats to get to beforehand. The Lunar Collective spoke with a trio who have been on the scene about eighteen months. Enjoyable music with a distinct sound and vibe, I have not heard them much on British radio. Another act worthy or wider investigation:

“United by their shared experiences of growing up in middle America and working in their family restaurants, their bond extends far beyond music and simultaneously adds depth to it. This deep-rooted connection fosters a profound mutual understanding, allowing them to create harmonious sounds that resonate with authenticity. Through their music, Chanpan weaves together the threads of their collective experiences, crafting a unique sonic tapestry that echoes their special backgrounds and perspectives. Their name itself, further proof of a beautiful partnership as Chanpan is a combination of the Chinese pronunciation of Lance and Matthew’s surname 陳 and part of Grace’s Kachin name “Seng Hkam Pan”.

Their lyricism is full of unbridled emotions and uninhibited storytelling that is sometimes heavily contemplative but works perfectly with their fun and lighthearted instrumentation because their approach to their overall artistry is not bound to any norms or expectations of what their sound ‘should’ be. ‘Jungle’ starts off with a mesmerizing orchestral sound and slowly crescendos into a drum-filled electronic sound, it is transcendent, and intense but is still fun. “ooweeooweeoo” is chaotic in the best way and the beat is an instant happy-pill.

LUNA: You often experiment with different genres and sounds between your songs and even within the composition and production of the songs themselves, what makes you create music in the manner that you do?

L. TRAN: Our sonic choices and creative freedom are a reflection of three people with diverse and expansive music tastes. We are pretty non-discriminatory listeners and we are not interested in being conventional. For the upright bass in our previous singles, I have always been obsessed with that sound. It was a nod to Herbie Hancock because we all love jazz so much. I loved watching Jojo Mayers beating jungle drums with his hands and I was obsessed with trying to replicate that as a child. For other sounds, Hill, our manager, would point out that we liked using the bell kit and it would remind me of how I used to play that instrument in middle school. Our sound choices are usually made on a whim. We are always just trying out the thing that has not been tried before.

LUNA: You’re Asian-American artists in the United States and your band name is a way for you to embrace your identity or identities. Is there any way that your cultural backgrounds, heritage and ethnicities, influence your musicality or artistry?

DUMDAW: It absolutely influences everything. I am Kachin, which is an ethnic tribe in the north of Northern Myanmar, near China. And that ethnic identity has been a very important part of my life because Myanmar is home to the longest ongoing civil war in the world. And there's a bunch of different ethnic groups at war with an oppressive government. So that is a very big priority, and having a platform and wanting to be a good representative of my people, because there aren't many Kachin people with platforms who influenced me. And I think it's important to consider that whenever I'm making music, because when the world hears Chanpan I feel like the world is hearing a Kachin person's music, and I want to honor my people with the sound that I'm making and the topics that I'm talking about. So that is always at the forefront of my decisions but that also comes with a lot of obstacles and boundaries and baggage. Kachin people are also really Christian. American and Swedish missionaries brought Christianity to us in the late 1800s and now it’s almost like 99% of our population is Christian. That is a challenge for me as someone who is a queer non-binary artist in 2024, who wants to talk about subject matter that is usually more taboo for that community”.

Chanpan’s E.P., autogratis, was released in June. A few years ago, the trio were busking on the streets of New York. Now, they are looking ahead to a string of North American dates and are going to be pretty busy. I would like to see them if they are coming to the U.K. at any point:

“Autogratis is dropping exactly one year after last year’s EP Endlessly. What has been fueling this prolific mindset?

Grace: After our first EP, it was a really big learning process to put all that out, see how it was received by our listeners, and just sit with it and process it. Being a performer and putting out music and emotional content that is so raw, you have to analyse how you’re being perceived, and how you want to be perceived. That’s the headspace we were in after it.

I think we’ve definitely grown a lot as artists and gotten a lot of agency with our creative ideas now that we’re also working with partners that help us elevate that vision to the highest ability. So going into EP2, I just feel really excited and confident in the music as a representation of us and the message that we’re trying to put out there and all the visual things we have lined up — that feels really good too.

Let’s go back to autogratis. Do you have a current favourite on the EP?

M: That’s such a hard question. It changes every day. Kind of like your children, you can’t pick a favourite. Actually, no, you do have favourite songs, they’re not like children. But I think the one that has brought me the most joy in terms of memories is jesus in china (overflow). There’s just something so magical about the one day session where we walked in without anything, and then we came out with that song. We made it with our now friends Taydex, an incredible producer, and Wes Singerman, an insane guitarist. And we had so much fun which completely translated into making that song. And it feels free and uninhibited. And it’s really fun to play. So that’s my favourite.

G: I can’t pick, but I think meaning wise, romantic is really personal to me, and I love that. It’s different because it’s really simple, compared to our really layered other songs. The mindset that I had going into that song was really gripping onto anything that would make me feel empowered during a time where I was feeling really scared, and just didn’t feel like I had much agency over my own safety. So that’s like the song that feels really good every time I listen to it because I love to feel a little evil at times.

L: I feel like Matthew and Grace’s picks were so emotional, semantic and meaningful. So I’ll give a more technical answer right now. I feel like confessions part iii — just for today — is my favourite. I also really like what’s under the hook, the drum part I’m playing is a callback to original funk drumming, like Dennis Chambers and the people who played with James Brown. So a lot of our songs have these tidbits that would show up with music history. But I guess you wouldn’t really know until you asked. So that’s my pick.

In the past, all of your music videos have such distinct visual words. I was wondering what world are you stepping into with this new era?

G: EP1 was a lot of world building. And this one is more like small vignettes that really fit closely with each song. So we had buzzin, which was like ‘sexy pillow fight, making out on TV type energy.’ We just worked on the video for I got a gun, which, you know, you can kind of draw your own conclusions from what to expect from that. And confessions part iii is really fun, and we have a break dancing child that just encapsulates the energy through an innocent approach to art and life. So we’re just jumping all around and building our own multifacetedness instead of going into a fantasy world. We’re just being really present in this one and being sexy, fun, and loose.

M: We’re having a lot more fun with it. And the breakdancing child’s name is Petro Politaiev, and he’s incredible. A lot of the collaborators we’re working with are super talented and cool, and it’s been really awesome to have them helping us create our vision. We’re getting to work with people like Patrick Linehan, Aaron Fenichell, and our friend Christopher Kim. So I’d also like to shout out our collaborators there too, and all the friends and people who help out with the visual stuff, because it really takes a million people in a village to create a piece of art like that.

Let’s finish off with a reflective question. Earlier you were saying how ‘romantic’ is a little different compared to your other songs — and it is a very good love track. So I was wondering what’s the best love advice you’ve given or you have received?

G: I was actually just thinking about this yesterday. I’ve had someone in my life for a few years now, where there’s romance involved, and I was thinking why I like him so much. I think I came to the conclusion that they’re very chalant, and I’m also chalant. And in dating, especially in New York, everyone’s extremely nonchalant sometimes, and I hate that. So my advice is be incredibly chalant, lean in, go for it. And then if it goes well, then it goes really well. And if it doesn’t, you get wrecked, and that’s okay. Because that’s just life, you got to fight through that and something beautiful is on the other side.

M: It’s become a meme to say that you read bell hooks to pretend to be something… but I think I read her writing as a 21 year old, and it did change the way I think about things. It put words to a lot of things that I was feeling as a young person, but it also helped me give language to express it to people that love is not just a sentiment, feeling or emotion, it’s not just a noun, but it’s a verb. And it includes so many things — being an active thing and something that you perform on a daily basis. And that requires intention, awareness, respect, accountability, honesty and openness. It’s really about how you are as a person to other people. Also bromance and love and these things can change over time. It doesn’t need to end where it started or not end, it’s about respect for another human being at the end of the day.

L: I would say to whoever’s reading that love is freedom. I would encourage anyone to think about, in a good way, melting the division between romantic and platonic love. Friendship to me is one of the highest forms of love. I don’t think romance is real or complete without that platonic friendship, you have to really actually like each other as people. And I don’t think that it’s healthy to have too many harsh expectations based on gender roles and whatever societal standards, just because you like each other romantically. The same decency, respect, kindness, and honesty that is a part of your most pure and loving platonic friendship should remain true for any romance that you’re experiencing. It’s a way to also protect yourself and protect the other person”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Bishop Elegino

I am going to end with that NME interview. They are putting out this unpredictable and exciting Alt-Pop music that is setting them apart from their peers. They spoke with NME about “embracing experimentation and the sense of duty they feel towards Asian communities around the globe”: Chanpan’s Grace Dumdaw, Lance and Matthew Tran spoke about their incredible work:

“All three of us grew up quite isolated from other huge pockets of Asian people,” begins Lance, recalling his excitement when he stumbled upon Bloc Party drummer Matt Tong. “Someone in London told us, ‘I’ve been waiting my entire life to see cool Asian people like you guys.’” “The door is so closed for children around the world to even get three square meals a day or live a full life,” adds Matthew. “I think about the rest of the Asian diaspora – how can we genuinely and meaningfully bring them along with us, too?”

“I think about the rest of the Asian diaspora – how can we genuinely and meaningfully bring them along with us, too?” – Matthew Tran

Dumdaw, who has Burmese heritage, agrees: “There’s so many artists that haven’t had the luck, information or the resources. Something that’s come up a lot is gatekeeping, especially in New York in the music industry. The gatekeepers looked at us as Asian people that are worthy to have access to these resources. Once the gatekeepers let me in, I felt safe enough to express myself, cut my hair, be more expressive about my gender and get face piercings.

Mirroring their volatile sound, Dumdaw stays on the move lyrically throughout ‘Autogratis’; they sing “I’m just running away” in ‘Los Angeles’ before “running to better days” on ‘Driving Away’. “I’m so avoidant, as a person,” they clarify. “A lot of life has been running towards the next thing. Now that we are on tour all the time, part of that has made me want to stay still and start putting down roots in my personal life.” By vocalising their avoidance, it transforms into accountability. “I feel like [the EP] is gratuitous to myself. Being part of Chanpan and all the life changes that came [have] made me extremely good at communicating.”

The subject matter of ‘Autogratis’ centres around relationships, romance and navigating this public-facing space that is accompanying Chanpan’s rise. The EP captures the sense of that whirlwind, flitting between sounds exactly like they trade answers today. Together, Chanpan have already laid the foundations to be this fluid creative vehicle. “We encourage each other to explore together,” says Lance. “You hear us stepping out of [traditional band] roles, and that’s what it means to embrace the spirit of experimentation”.

PHOTO CREDIT: 1883 Magazine

Actually, I want to slip in 1883 Magazine, who asked Chanpan eighteen questions. I am including a few of them here, as it is a good quick-fire interview, and you get a sense of their humour, bond and connection. I think this trio are going to have such a huge career:

“Where was the last place you travelled to?

G: Swarthmore, PA.

M: Our European stint for playing shows!

L: London! Wanker!

What was the last thing that made you laugh?

G: My best friend Ivie telling me a secret.

M: Opening my phone to a notification from any of my friends.

L: I look into the mirror every morning and I see the greatest joke of all.
Who would be on your dream dinner party guest list?

G: PinkPantheress, Ayo Edebiri, Boots Riley, Snoop Dogg, Lady Gaga, Angelina Jolie.

M: I’d invite young Michael Jackson from the Jackson 5, Off the Wall era Michael Jackson, and end-of-career Michael Jackson to watch them interact.

L: Mao Zedong, Vladimir Lenin, Ho Chi Minh, and Elon Musk in a straight jacket and ball gag unable to speak.

What is the major throughline on your forthcoming new EP, autogratis?

G: Having intimacy issues LOL.

M: Having fun and rocking out!

L: Experimentation and play.

What’s on your rider for a show?

G: Coconut water and vegetables.

M: Actually just healthy stuff because that is hard to get on the road

L: Pocari sweat! The optimal performance beverage.

What’s the secret to being good bandmates?

G: Being good friends.

M: Communication!

L: Good hygiene—you get kicked out if you smell bad.

Finally, what is one thing you would like to manifest for the band and why?

G: A legendary LP1 so we can retire early!

M: Getting to see every country and culture in the world.

L: Everlasting happiness”.

This is such a thrilling trio with a really compelling story and path. How they started by busking and honing their craft and are now touring and being hailed as this act we all need to watch. I have been immediately struck by them and was compelled to write about them. Go and follow Chanpan and listen to their amazing music. A sensational trio you…