{"id":2008731,"date":"2026-06-24T08:00:04","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T05:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2008731"},"modified":"2026-06-24T08:00:04","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T05:00:04","slug":"nyc-trio-chanpan-make-fresh-unpredictable-alt-pop-that-plays-by-their-own-rules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2008731","title":{"rendered":"NYC trio Chanpan make fresh, unpredictable alt-pop that plays by their own rules"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Chanpan-credit-Bishop-Elegino.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"template-id-2947849\" class=\"post-2947849 tdb_templates type-tdb_templates status-publish post\">\n<div id=\"tdi_65\" class=\"tdc-zone\">\n<div class=\"tdc_zone tdi_66  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div id=\"tdi_67\" class=\"tdc-row stretch_row\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_68  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_70  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_breadcrumbs tdi_71 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-breadcrumbs \" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_71\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span>Features<\/span><span>Music Interviews<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_title tdi_72 tdb-single-title td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_72\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">NYC trio Chanpan make fresh, unpredictable alt-pop that plays by their own rules<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_subtitle tdi_73 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_73\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>After a triumphant homecoming slot at Governors Ball Festival, the group talk to NME about \u201cChindie sleaze\u201d, embracing experimentation and the sense of duty they feel towards Asian communities around the globe<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_author tdi_75 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-post-meta\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_75\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-author-name-wrap\"><span class=\"tdb-author-by\">By<\/span> Rishi Shah<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_date tdi_76 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 tdb-post-meta\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_76\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><time class=\"entry-date updated td-module-date\" datetime=\"2026-06-24T09:00:04+01:00\">24th June 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_77\" class=\"tdc-row stretch_row_1400 td-stretch-content\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_78  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_80  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_featured_image tdi_81 tdb-content-horiz-left td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_81\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"696\" height=\"442\" class=\"entry-thumb\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Chanpan-credit-Bishop-Elegino-696x442.jpg\" alt=\"Chanpan\" title=\"Chanpan credit Bishop Elegino\"><figcaption class=\"tdb-caption-text\">Chanpan credit: Bishop Elegino<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_82\" class=\"tdc-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_83  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_85  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_content tdi_86 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 td-post-content tagdiv-type\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_86\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p><strong class=\"dropcap\">Y<\/strong>ou\u2019re probably sick of hearing about New York\u2019s indie sleaze revival. Spearheaded by The Dare, Fcukers and a generation of post-pandemic partygoers, it\u2019s been hailed as the sweaty solution for those desperate for some good old-fashioned noughties hedonism. Though parts of Chanpan\u2019s colourful, playful alt-pop slots into that lineage, this trio of NYC insiders downplay that exaggerated image. \u201cAs someone who likes to party, it\u2019s not really that great out here,\u201d explains vocalist Grace Dumdaw.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>READ MORE:\u00a0NME\u2019s top 10 shows from The Great Escape 2026<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cIt doesn\u2019t feel as genuine as the New York of before\u2026 things are not accessible to everyone,\u201d they continue. \u201cThere\u2019s a door guy watching what outfit you\u2019re wearing: \u2018How much clout can you bring?\u2019 The Dare, the Fcukers of it all, is also tied to whiteness, as well, at these places. I don\u2019t think any of us are really into that aspect of nightlife, [where] you have to look a certain way to be cool enough to be in the spot.\u201d Drummer Lance Tran reclaims the term entirely, nodding to both his band and Chinese heritage: \u201cIt\u2019s called Chindie sleaze!\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad0 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<p>Telling us about \u2018Chanpals\u2019, \u2018Chanpansexual\u2019 merch and their backstage \u2018Chantourage\u2019, the band, also including Lance\u2019s identical twin brother Matthew (guitar), shine with happy-go-lucky charisma in conversation that matches their bubbly, lively sound. Weeks after conquering the NME Stage at Brighton\u2019s The Great Escape, we reunite with Chanpan shortly after their victorious hometown set at the 150,000-capacity Governors Ball Festival.<\/p>\n<p>All three moved to The Big Apple in 2021, after Louisiana-raised Dumdaw befriended Missouri native Lance during an internship in Philadelphia three years prior. Before music, their friendship revolved around food, sport and shared moral principles. \u201cWe talked about war, growing up in restaurant families and climate change,\u201d recalls Lance. \u201cIt was not common meeting Asian people who had similar values, coming from the same places, for similar reasons. What we believe in is equally important as our sense of humour and music taste.\u201d<\/p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Chanpan - i got a gun (Official Music Video)\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FZXKPdVtAiA?feature=oembed&amp;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<p>With that foundation, the band began to regularly busk together, lugging heavy equipment around Chinatown, met with bursts of \u201centhusiasm and encouragement\u201d from the general public that inspired them to start writing original material. All three wax lyrical about their experience with the city, from the \u201celectric\u201d present-day atmosphere around the New York Knicks basketball team to the rich culture steeped into the streets they inhabit.<\/p>\n<p><strong class=\"dropcap\">B<\/strong>ut you shouldn\u2019t pigeonhole Chanpan into a wider NYC scene, for both the reasons Dumdaw described and their mercurial sound. Their 2023 debut single \u2018Jungle\u2019 threw jazz basslines into its namesake genre, while breakout 2025 hit \u2018Endlessly\u2019 perches between airy indie-pop and frenetic breakbeats in a similar manner to Piri or Willow Kayne. Virtually every track on forthcoming second EP \u2018Autogratis\u2019 spontaneously shifts genre in under three minutes, nudging the overall intensity up towards fully-fledged rock and tough dance breaks.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad1 id_ad_content-horiz-center\">\n<h5 class=\"taboola-mid-article-title\">Recommended<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<p>Though this beautifully disorganised collage places Chanpan in their own sonic lane, they\u2019ve gravitated towards their people. \u201cWe found a lot of community with other artists that are doing their own thing as well,\u201d explains Dumdaw. \u201cWe\u2019re not holding hands and following the path together.\u201d \u201cWe absolutely have our own community, family and friends that have been here for us since day minus 10,\u201d adds Matthew. Community is important to the Tran twins, who consciously moved to Chinatown to be nearer to other people of Chinese descent.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAll three of us grew up quite isolated from other huge pockets of Asian people,\u201d begins Lance, recalling his excitement when he stumbled upon Bloc Party drummer Matt Tong. \u201cSomeone in London told us, \u2018I\u2019ve been waiting my entire life to see cool Asian people like you guys.\u2019\u201d \u201cThe door is so closed for children around the world to even get three square meals a day or live a full life,\u201d adds Matthew. \u201cI think about the rest of the Asian diaspora \u2013 how can we genuinely and meaningfully bring them along with us, too?\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cI think about the rest of the Asian diaspora \u2013 how can we genuinely and meaningfully bring them along with us, too?\u201d \u2013 Matthew Tran<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Dumdaw, who has Burmese heritage, agrees: \u201cThere\u2019s so many artists that haven\u2019t had the luck, information or the resources. Something that\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs we get more successful in music, slowly, we get the keys to the gate, and that\u2019s a scary thought,\u201d they continue. \u201cIt should be open for everyone, and that\u2019s something I would like people of colour in the industry to think more critically about.\u201d Lance picks up their thread: \u201cYour thought should not be, \u2018How do I bring more people over this barrier?\u2019, [but] how to completely remove that barrier, and get rid of that entire gatekeeping structure.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad2 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<p>After they articulate these beliefs at length, we revisit the magnetic allure of \u2018Autogratis\u2019, from the racy \u2018Buzzin\u2019 through to the bass-boosted pop-rock of \u2018Jesus In China\u2019. Mucking around with a remarkable degree of concision, Lance confirms their studio sessions involve \u201csinging absurd, freaky things, doing flips off the wall and spinning around on the ground\u201d. \u201cChanpan is the first and primary audience of everything we make,\u201d Matthew reminds us. \u201cOn \u2018Autogratis\u2019, we have become more and more uninhibited.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe honestly found our sound with \u2018Jungle\u2019 \u2013 that is a song that doesn\u2019t really make too much sense, structurally and musically,\u201d continues Dumdaw. \u201cWe\u2019re going to keep doing that and being hard to tie down because life is long, we want our careers to be long, and tastes change.\u201d Matthew doubles down: \u201cChanpan is whatever the hell we\u2019re feeling in that moment.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3952752\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3952752\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3952752\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Chanpan-Credit-Oliver-Leone.jpg\" alt=\"Chanpan\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3952752\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Chanpan credit: Oliver Leone<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Mirroring their volatile sound, Dumdaw stays on the move lyrically throughout \u2018Autogratis\u2019; they sing \u201c<em>I\u2019m just running away<\/em>\u201d in \u2018Los Angeles\u2019 before \u201c<em>running to better days<\/em>\u201d on \u2018Driving Away\u2019. \u201cI\u2019m so avoidant, as a person,\u201d they clarify. \u201cA 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.\u201d By vocalising their avoidance, it transforms into accountability. \u201cI 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.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The subject matter of \u2018Autogratis\u2019 centres around relationships, romance and navigating this public-facing space that is accompanying Chanpan\u2019s 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. \u201cWe encourage each other to explore together,\u201d says Lance. \u201cYou hear us stepping out of [traditional band] roles, and that\u2019s what it means to embrace the spirit of experimentation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Chanpan\u2019s new EP \u2018Autogratis\u2019 is out June 26 via EQT Recordings.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_tags tdi_87 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_87\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<ul class=\"tdb-tags\">\n<li><span>Related Topics<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Chanpan<\/li>\n<li>Indie<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_88\" class=\"tdc-row stretch_row_content td-stretch-content\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_89  wpb_row td-pb-row tdc-element-style\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_91  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"td-block td-a-rec td-a-rec-id-custom-spot tdi_92 td_block_template_2\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_93\" class=\"tdc-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_94  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_96  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"vc_row_inner tdi_98  vc_row vc_inner wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column_inner tdi_100  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-inner-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"vc_column-inner\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper td_block_wrap vc_raw_html tdi_102 \">\n<div class=\"td-fix-index\">\n<h3>More Stories<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap td_flex_block_1 tdi_103 td-pb-border-top td_module_flex_1--card td_module_flex_1--card--highlight td_block_template_2 tdc-no-posts td_flex_block\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_103\">\n<div id=\"tdi_103\" class=\"td_block_inner td-mc1-wrap\">\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Music News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">Watch Hayley Williams close London Roundhouse run by playing \u2018Parachute\u2019 with Wet Leg\u2019s Rhian Teasdale<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Music News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">PJ Harvey looks to space on dreamy, lush new single \u2018Voyager\u2019<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container 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Impala\u2019s blissed-out cover of Smashing Pumpkins\u2019 \u2018Hummer\u2019 from new tribute album \u2018Sending Hearts To All My Dearies\u2019<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"td_module_flex td_module_flex_1 td_module_wrap td-animation-stack\">\n<div class=\"td-module-container td-category-pos-above\">\n<div class=\"td-module-meta-info\">\n                    Music News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"entry-title td-module-title\">Everyone Says Hi announce new album \u2018Funny Cos It\u2019s True\u2019 with swirling single \u2018Don\u2019t Underestimate Yourself\u2019 and  UK live shows<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tdi_104\" class=\"tdc-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_row tdi_105  wpb_row td-pb-row\">\n<div class=\"vc_column tdi_107  wpb_column vc_column_container tdc-column td-pb-span12\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper td_block_wrap vc_raw_html tdi_109 \">\n<div class=\"td-fix-index\">\n<h3>You May Also Like<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><\/span><span class=\"td-page-meta\"><\/span><\/article>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"td_block_wrap tdb_single_content tdi_86 td-pb-border-top td_block_template_2 td-post-content tagdiv-type\" data-td-block-uid=\"tdi_86\">\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p><strong class=\"dropcap\">Y<\/strong>ou\u2019re probably sick of hearing about New York\u2019s indie sleaze revival. Spearheaded by The Dare, Fcukers and a generation of post-pandemic partygoers, it\u2019s been hailed as the sweaty solution for those desperate for some good old-fashioned noughties hedonism. Though parts of Chanpan\u2019s colourful, playful alt-pop slots into that lineage, this trio of NYC insiders downplay that exaggerated image. \u201cAs someone who likes to party, it\u2019s not really that great out here,\u201d explains vocalist Grace Dumdaw.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>READ MORE:\u00a0NME\u2019s top 10 shows from The Great Escape 2026<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cIt doesn\u2019t feel as genuine as the New York of before\u2026 things are not accessible to everyone,\u201d they continue. \u201cThere\u2019s a door guy watching what outfit you\u2019re wearing: \u2018How much clout can you bring?\u2019 The Dare, the Fcukers of it all, is also tied to whiteness, as well, at these places. I don\u2019t think any of us are really into that aspect of nightlife, [where] you have to look a certain way to be cool enough to be in the spot.\u201d Drummer Lance Tran reclaims the term entirely, nodding to both his band and Chinese heritage: \u201cIt\u2019s called Chindie sleaze!\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad0 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<p>Telling us about \u2018Chanpals\u2019, \u2018Chanpansexual\u2019 merch and their backstage \u2018Chantourage\u2019, the band, also including Lance\u2019s identical twin brother Matthew (guitar), shine with happy-go-lucky charisma in conversation that matches their bubbly, lively sound. Weeks after conquering the NME Stage at Brighton\u2019s The Great Escape, we reunite with Chanpan shortly after their victorious hometown set at the 150,000-capacity Governors Ball Festival.<\/p>\n<p>All three moved to The Big Apple in 2021, after Louisiana-raised Dumdaw befriended Missouri native Lance during an internship in Philadelphia three years prior. Before music, their friendship revolved around food, sport and shared moral principles. \u201cWe talked about war, growing up in restaurant families and climate change,\u201d recalls Lance. \u201cIt was not common meeting Asian people who had similar values, coming from the same places, for similar reasons. What we believe in is equally important as our sense of humour and music taste.\u201d<\/p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Chanpan - i got a gun (Official Music Video)\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FZXKPdVtAiA?feature=oembed&amp;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<p>With that foundation, the band began to regularly busk together, lugging heavy equipment around Chinatown, met with bursts of \u201centhusiasm and encouragement\u201d from the general public that inspired them to start writing original material. All three wax lyrical about their experience with the city, from the \u201celectric\u201d present-day atmosphere around the New York Knicks basketball team to the rich culture steeped into the streets they inhabit.<\/p>\n<p><strong class=\"dropcap\">B<\/strong>ut you shouldn\u2019t pigeonhole Chanpan into a wider NYC scene, for both the reasons Dumdaw described and their mercurial sound. Their 2023 debut single \u2018Jungle\u2019 threw jazz basslines into its namesake genre, while breakout 2025 hit \u2018Endlessly\u2019 perches between airy indie-pop and frenetic breakbeats in a similar manner to Piri or Willow Kayne. Virtually every track on forthcoming second EP \u2018Autogratis\u2019 spontaneously shifts genre in under three minutes, nudging the overall intensity up towards fully-fledged rock and tough dance breaks.<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad1 id_ad_content-horiz-center\">\n<h5 class=\"taboola-mid-article-title\">Recommended<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<p>Though this beautifully disorganised collage places Chanpan in their own sonic lane, they\u2019ve gravitated towards their people. \u201cWe found a lot of community with other artists that are doing their own thing as well,\u201d explains Dumdaw. \u201cWe\u2019re not holding hands and following the path together.\u201d \u201cWe absolutely have our own community, family and friends that have been here for us since day minus 10,\u201d adds Matthew. Community is important to the Tran twins, who consciously moved to Chinatown to be nearer to other people of Chinese descent.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAll three of us grew up quite isolated from other huge pockets of Asian people,\u201d begins Lance, recalling his excitement when he stumbled upon Bloc Party drummer Matt Tong. \u201cSomeone in London told us, \u2018I\u2019ve been waiting my entire life to see cool Asian people like you guys.\u2019\u201d \u201cThe door is so closed for children around the world to even get three square meals a day or live a full life,\u201d adds Matthew. \u201cI think about the rest of the Asian diaspora \u2013 how can we genuinely and meaningfully bring them along with us, too?\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cI think about the rest of the Asian diaspora \u2013 how can we genuinely and meaningfully bring them along with us, too?\u201d \u2013 Matthew Tran<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Dumdaw, who has Burmese heritage, agrees: \u201cThere\u2019s so many artists that haven\u2019t had the luck, information or the resources. Something that\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs we get more successful in music, slowly, we get the keys to the gate, and that\u2019s a scary thought,\u201d they continue. \u201cIt should be open for everyone, and that\u2019s something I would like people of colour in the industry to think more critically about.\u201d Lance picks up their thread: \u201cYour thought should not be, \u2018How do I bring more people over this barrier?\u2019, [but] how to completely remove that barrier, and get rid of that entire gatekeeping structure.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"td-a-ad id_inline_ad2 id_ad_content-horiz-center\"><span class=\"td-adspot-title\">Advertisement<\/span><\/div>\n<p>After they articulate these beliefs at length, we revisit the magnetic allure of \u2018Autogratis\u2019, from the racy \u2018Buzzin\u2019 through to the bass-boosted pop-rock of \u2018Jesus In China\u2019. Mucking around with a remarkable degree of concision, Lance confirms their studio sessions involve \u201csinging absurd, freaky things, doing flips off the wall and spinning around on the ground\u201d. \u201cChanpan is the first and primary audience of everything we make,\u201d Matthew reminds us. \u201cOn \u2018Autogratis\u2019, we have become more and more uninhibited.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe honestly found our sound with \u2018Jungle\u2019 \u2013 that is a song that doesn\u2019t really make too much sense, structurally and musically,\u201d continues Dumdaw. \u201cWe\u2019re going to keep doing that and being hard to tie down because life is long, we want our careers to be long, and tastes change.\u201d Matthew doubles down: \u201cChanpan is whatever the hell we\u2019re feeling in that moment.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3952752\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3952752\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3952752\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Chanpan-Credit-Oliver-Leone.jpg\" alt=\"Chanpan\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2000\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3952752\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Chanpan credit: Oliver Leone<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Mirroring their volatile sound, Dumdaw stays on the move lyrically throughout \u2018Autogratis\u2019; they sing \u201c<em>I\u2019m just running away<\/em>\u201d in \u2018Los Angeles\u2019 before \u201c<em>running to better days<\/em>\u201d on \u2018Driving Away\u2019. \u201cI\u2019m so avoidant, as a person,\u201d they clarify. \u201cA 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.\u201d By vocalising their avoidance, it transforms into accountability. \u201cI 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.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The subject matter of \u2018Autogratis\u2019 centres around relationships, romance and navigating this public-facing space that is accompanying Chanpan\u2019s 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. \u201cWe encourage each other to explore together,\u201d says Lance. \u201cYou hear us stepping out of [traditional band] roles, and that\u2019s what it means to embrace the spirit of experimentation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Chanpan\u2019s new EP \u2018Autogratis\u2019 is out June 26 via EQT Recordings.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/features\/music-interviews\/chanpan-autogratis-interview-radar-3952744&#8243;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.nme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Chanpan-credit-Bishop-Elegino.jpg&#8221;] FeaturesMusic Interviews NYC trio Chanpan make fresh, unpredictable alt-pop that plays by their own rules After a triumphant homecoming slot at Governors Ball Festival, the group talk to NME about \u201cChindie sleaze\u201d, embracing experimentation and the sense of duty they feel towards Asian communities around the globe By Rishi Shah 24th June [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,78],"class_list":["post-2008731","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-nme-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2008731","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2008731"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2008731\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2008731"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2008731"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2008731"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}