Contributing Writer
On the heels of the dance-driven “Praise,” South Central native Barney Bones returns with a spacey, atmospheric new hip-hop single called “Lifeline.” Out now via Payday Records, it finds Bones flowing with a smooth, strikingly melodic cadence atop laidback production with crisp percussion, all permeated by subtly resonating synths. “Lifeline” also comes equipped with an elevated music video shot in Paris, France, directed by Inès Marhaba and Bones. Soaked in neon tones, it finds Bones running into a former love interest and her new boyfriend at a house party, documenting the emotions that ensue. It reaches an intense climax that suddenly gives way to an introspective closing frame as Bones moves to the piano and slowly cuts through the tension until it dissipates into the ether. It’s the kind of thoughtful work that explains why Bones is a GRAMMY-nominated artist with credits for the likes of Channel Tres, Terrace Martin, Giveon, Gus Dapperton, and many more.
Barney Bones explains his newest “is a song about my fear of abandonment and how it relates to the toxic cycle of nightlife.”
Raised in the same neighborhoods that catalyzed the careers of artists like Ice Cube and Nipsey Hussle, Barney Bones headed a few miles west to Loyola Marymount University for a degree in film before dropping out to pursue music. He would subsequently connect with 88rising in 2018 and tour as Rich Brian’s DJ while simultaneously songwriting alongside label standout August 08. Barney Bones continued to enrich his artistic palate, penning songs for Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the 10 Rings and writing on Terrace Martin’s GRAMMY-nominated LP Drones, before deciding in 2021 to prioritize his solo work. That newfound sense of self-sustained creativity led to an appearance on the House Party soundtrack with August 08 alongside “Praise,” “Lifeline,” and his forthcoming EP in its entirety.