Bardo – formerly of the band Chicano Batman – ushers in his new era on Stones Throw with a new song, “Renacer”, featuring eclectic NYC-by-way-of-Colombia band Combo Chimbita. 

“Renacer”, which translates to “rebirth”, celebrates Bardo’s new chapter, which arrives after leading Chicano Batman, the psychedelic rock band that “embodies Los Angeles…a sprawling map of Latinx communities and cross-cultural sound.” Born to a Mexican father and Colombian mother, Bardo grew up in the LA suburb of La Mirada in a house full of music immersed in diverse sounds from classic rock and R&B and top 40 hits from the 70s and 80s to cumbia, vallenato, and salsa. He takes inspiration from the rich sounds of his youth and his Afro-Latino heritage to tell stories about his personal journey. Peanut Butter Wolf, head of Stones Throw, said on the track “imagine on the Mudd Club a DJ playlist in the early 80s: the lower east side NY hip-hop meets post-punk, meets Latin in the art scene.”

Bardo says: “Being the son of a Caribbean woman from the north Atlantic coastal city of Cartagena is a root that makes me who I am and informs so much of my personality and everything about me; it’s a root that I’m very proud of. This song is an ode to that root, that heritage, to Colombia, to the afro roots of where I come from, where the rhythm is, where the feeling is.”

“Renacer” previews the kaleidoscopic sound world that Bardo has built within his next body of work. The song was born from a voice memo during a jam session in Bardo’s home studio, when Combo Chimbita visited LA from NYC. Bardo adds, “Combo also shares [my] heritage, so the synergy in the lyrics between Carolina Oliveros and me is true.”

The accompanying music video, directed by William Andrade, follows Bardo celebrating in the streets of New York with Combo Chimbita – a celebration of Latin and Black communities’ influence on the city’s rich musical history and a nod to 90’s hip hop. 

Bardo also adds: “‘Renacer’ comes at a time of profound change: pushing my solo career is a huge shift for me. I’m digging deep and giving it my all. Rebirth is something that happens every moment; every breath is an opportunity to center yourself. Carolina’s lyrics speak so much to reinvention in the moment. The revolution is truly a personal one, and music for us is the way we empower and inspire ourselves. We believe that music is fundamentally spiritual; it is also the love language of our ancestors speaking through us.”

Bardo will be headlining across 7 different US cities on his Renacer Tour this April, link to the tickets can be found HERE.