Newly minted duo Dark Bardo has issued a transfixing debut with the release of their first album Contact Sailor. Throughout twelve increasingly alluring and enigmatic tracks, producer/mixer Andy Baldwin and producer/composer Filip Mitrovic wrangle into existence an iconoclastic sound all their own. The result is an incredibly personal record — drawing on their idiosyncratic experiences and surreal vision — as it is uncannily relevant.
It all starts with the eerily jumbled poetics of “Swannie,” a groaning and wailing intro that draws you into the sonic world that Dark Bardo occupies. From there, you’re whisked into the rollicking swayer “Aftermidnight Cowboy” — a dusty western sunset-tinted anthem that pairs them with the bewitching baritone vocals of Harrison Roberts and the luminous Nini Fabi. A clamorous trumpet solo and droning organ complete the haunting ensemble.
Next, you’re transported to the mystical innards of “Avalon,” one of the many songs on the album dedicated to the aura of a specific time and place. It’s undulating melody and esoteric spoken-word lyricism launch you through a dually ethereal and groovy soundscape. “Belgrade Burning” — with its thrumming funkiness and glittery synths — recalls a critical moment in Mitrovic’s youth involving the last-day-on-Earth parties thrown amid the 1999 bombings of Belgrade.
On “Papillon” they disappear into the background of a lilting French lullaby that enchants as much as it breaks the heart; while “Ascension” attaches their multilingual lyricism to an otherworldly crescendo of interstellar electronica. Then there’s the jaunty ode to the wayfaring soul that rises out of “Mountain Man,” its psychedelic revolutions of dreamy chants, rumbling drums, and crackling textures lead to one of the album’s more hypnotic outros.
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The penultimate track of Contact Sailor — “Bardo Pocket Symphony” — finds the duo doing what they do best—manifesting an erratic but stirringly propulsive arrangement of instrumentals, from ravishing woodwinds to soul-rousing strings, while also welcoming back Fabi on vocals. It’s here that perhaps Dark Bardo reveals their one fellow contemporary. Their beguilingly capricious and dance-inclined melodies call to mind the likes of experimental rockers Yeasayer.
As the song’s symphonic clamor fades into the album’s last song, “All Is Calm,” they lull you into an elusive tranquility that serves as a flooring reminder of their ability to contort and manipulate sound into potently tangible emotion. Perhaps the most urgent aspect of Contact Sailor is its grappling with the violence and unrest that ignites around us.
Yet with characteristic resilience and faith in music’s transcendent abilities, Dark Bardo rushes ahead of the curve with a manic purpose. Hell-bent on either inspiring renewal — or soundtracking the careening descent of the world around us — whichever comes first.
Words: Steven Ward
Visit Dark Bardo on their Instagram to stay updated on new releases and tour announcements.
Listen to Contact Sailor the new album from Dark Bardo.
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