Ryan Gosling’s DEAD MAN’S BONES Release First Song in 17 Years

Ryan Gosling and Zach Shields have reunited Dead Man’s Bones for ‘Lost in the Night’, their first new release in 17 years. Out now through ANTI- Records, the track arrives just ahead of Halloween, reopening a chapter that began with the duo’s self-titled debut in 2009.

For a project built around gothic folk, ghostly harmonies and vintage rock ’n’ roll, the long silence only added to its mystique. Dead Man’s Bones released one album, earned a devoted following, then left the story unfinished as Gosling’s acting career continued to expand.

The road back to recording proved less straightforward than expected. After trying several studios around Los Angeles, Gosling and Shields eventually took their equipment to a farm outside the city. Their setup was deliberately spare: two guitars, two drum machines and two synthesisers. The new track also reunites them with producer Tim Anderson, who worked on their debut.

‘Lost in the Night’ retains the duo’s taste for unsettling atmospheres while shifting the emphasis towards drum-machine rhythms, post-punk guitar and electronic textures. The result brings a different edge to the sound they established in 2009, with the shadows still firmly in place.

The single comes with a black-and-white video starring Noah Jupe (Hamnet) and Rain Spencer (The Summer I Turned Pretty). The two play young lovers who leave a cemetery and make their way through the city after dark, setting the song’s nocturnal mood against a story of intimacy and restless movement.

Dead Man’s Bones began when Gosling and Shields bonded over their shared fascination with the Haunted Mansion attraction at Disneyland. That interest in the macabre informed their 2009 debut, which brought together gothic folk, doo-wop and old-school rock, with the Silverlake Conservatory Children’s Choir appearing throughout the record.

The album found a life beyond its initial release. ‘In the Room Where You Sleep’ and ‘Pa Pa Power’ continued to reach new listeners through film and television placements, while Cat Power recorded her own version of ‘Pa Pa Power’ for the 2022 covers album “Covers”.

Seventeen years on, ‘Lost in the Night’ marks the first sign of new music from Gosling and Shields. The duo have yet to confirm a second album, though their recent activity on social media has fuelled speculation that more material could follow.

For now, one new song brings Dead Man’s Bones back into circulation, giving a project long associated with a single album a reason to move forward again.