There’s a certain thrill that comes from staying up late with friends, giggling over bubbly drinks, and riding the sugar high of eating sweet treats. Seattle-based band Chinese American Bear really tapped into this feeling with their latest pop banger “Feelin' Fuzzy (毛绒绒的感觉),” released May 29th, which sports an uplifting cotton-candy sound. Composed of duo Anne Tong and Bryce Barsten, the bilingual Mando-pop outfit is both cute and profound; and now, this single is out to make the world feel… well, fuzzy.

The track kicks out with a seriously pleasant riff evoking a sort of old-school grit that pulls colour out of each lick. Barsten’s playful guitar sets the tone before Tong’s fun-loving vocals chime in alongside with the lyrics, “I want to stay up all night making red bean mochi / I want some fizzy sugary bubbles in my belly.” This track might seem simple at first, but it’s more than an average fun-time song about wanting to play—Tong’s lyrics really hit home, drawing on her experience and tapping into the experience many first-generation kids may remember.

In context, “Feelin' Fuzzy (毛绒绒的感觉)”—sung in both English and Mandarin—touches on a childhood of longing. “I wanted to lean more into my experiences growing up in a Chinese immigrant household,” Tong explains. “When I was a teenager, I was never allowed to go to friends’ homes after school, never allowed to go to parties or school dances on weekends, and definitely not allowed to date. My days were strictly focused on studying, practicing piano, and preparing for exams.” While the English lines hit on the things Tong wishes she could have done in her youth, the Mandarin subtitles read: “Do your homework!” “Play piano!” and “No playing!”

“This song is about what I longed to do during my teenage years instead of the upbringing I actually had,” Tong says. “I wanted to capture that repetitiveness in this song. I'm hoping other kids of immigrants can relate to this song!”

Tong and Barsten make a stellar team. Sonically, they’re locked in, combining forces as a true powerhouse of funky, psychedelic noise. After the release of their self-titled album, Barsten found himself exploring depths of ‘60s and ‘70s songs from Asia. Barsten notes that the grit of the track can be attributed not only to their inspiration, but also the attention to detail in the recording process. While the single was primarily recorded at the duo’s home studio, Trevor Spencer tracked the drums at Way Out in Seattle. “For the production nerds, yes, we used a blown-out knee mic!” Barsten excitedly explains.

“Feelin' Fuzzy (毛绒绒的感觉)” really feels like that first pop-fizz, cracking open a soda can in the summer sun, and behind that sugar glaze comes something sweet and meaningful. The only thing left is to crack open that summer drink, get lost in the sound, and sing: “Oh man… I’m feelin’ fuzzy.”