Be Strong

The 2 Bears are a London-based musical alternative dance duo comprising Hot Chip's Joe Goddard and DJ Raf Rundell. They met in 2009 while working together at the Greco-Roman soundsystem parties and got together one drunken all-nighter after a friend proposed that the pair, plus Joe Mount from the band Metronomy, form a band called 'The 3 Bears'. Goddard and Rundell ultimately formed as a two piece without Joe Mount. This is the title track of their first complete album, which was released on January 29, 2012.

The album is intended to be an antidote to the UK economic crisis as reflected by its title. Said Goddard to The Sun: "I think there is a need for music to uplift people in some kind of way or another."

Rundell told The Sun that Be Strong was recorded in "a very un-rock 'n' roll" manner. He explained: "The studio's in Joe's house so his wife and the new baby were downstairs while we were making the record. It was a very un-rock 'n' roll process. There was a lot of ping-pong and soup being made. It wasn't like any record I'd been involved with previously — people usually drink through the night. That's probably why it's such a cheerful record. We were feeling good and weren't out partying every night."