A new duo named DARK BARDO step onto the scene today with the reveal of exciting debut offering, Wild Thought. A track which hits with wild abandon in a burst of vibrant instrumentals, the single features critically acclaimed Zimbabwean/ American artist Shungudzo on vocals and arrives with a suitably trippy video. Speaking on the release, DARK BARDO state:

“This song has been quite a trip! We came up with the piano riff while experimenting with dampening the strings with different pieces of cloth (t-shirts!!) to achieve a more intimate sound. This simultaneously turned the piano into a percussive instrument. Every creak, every thud, became very audible, as if coming from the belly of a beast, akin to a living organism.

We then took that same piano riff and played it on the kitchen piano. This has a very different sound, much brighter and more open, which created “slapier”, more trebly reflections. So it became a game of going back and forth from this intimate, creaky, animal-like piano to the bright, loud, obnoxious one!

Shungudzo continues:“Wild Thought” is about rebelling against the stories that tell us everything isn’t ok and bravely believing in your abilities to build a better internal and external world for yourself and other living things. “Everything will be ok” is also the one phrase that helps me most when I’m having a hard time. It’s not an offer to fix what is wrong for me, but rather a comforting reminder that I have the power to fix it for myself and that help is there should I need it. Sometimes, all we need is to be hugged and reminded that we’re gonna get through this.”

DARK BARDO is a collaboration conceived by a pair of producers who count the likes f Childish Gambino, Bjork and Jon Baptiste among artists they work with.

It all started with a mysterious Christmas package that included a toy revolver, a marshal's badge, a Dominican cigar and a small esoteric book. The unknown sender’s name scribbled on the front appeared to read DARK BARDO, and so, the band was born!

This inspired the musical journey that was to come - recorded in their secret mountain top lair. It features a kaleidoscopic carnival of mischievous freaks and scoundrels - the butterfly - the after midnight cowboy - the space alien - the mountain man.

The first single “Wild Thought” is a collaboration with Zimbabwean-American singer/songwriter Shungudzo. She is known for her work with Jessie Ware, Jim James, Chiiild, as well as her own solo project.