Toro y Moi: Bravery

“For me, building a community is as much about uplifting my local music scene as it is bringing together international music scenes,” Toro y Moi tells Apple Music. “So this mix is made up of both friends and collaborators.” The half-Filipino musician also known as Chaz Bear, who helped establish and shape the chillwave scene of the late 2000s, recently released his seventh studio album MAHAL. The project features collaborations with Sofie Royer, Ruban Nielson from Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Neon Indian’s Alan Palomo and The Mattson 2, all of whom make appearances here in his exclusive playlist compiled for AAPI Heritage Month. Bear used the opportunity to share must-hear music that he’s discovered over the past couple of years, and points to the Bay Area’s Tanukichan and Filipino singer/rapper Eyedress as two of his “favourite up-and-coming artists”. The lead cut, “Ordinary Guy” featuring The Mattson 2, is a cover of a song by Joe Bataan, the Latin soul and boogaloo pioneer Bear credits with “laying the groundwork for mixed artists" like himself. “I’m honoured he let me release the cover,” he says.