Los Angeles band Local Natives have tapped the talents of Durham, North Carolina’s Sylvan Esso on a new version of an older tune, “Dark Days.” Originally appearing on the band’s 2016 full-length Sunlit Youth, the update features vocals from Sylvan Esso’s Amelia Meath. The singer joined the group for a Jimmy Kimmel Live! rendition of the track back in March, among the last such performances aired before the COVID-19 pandemic shut the operation down.
RELATED: Local Natives’ Songs That Influence “Megaton Mile”
“‘Dark Days’ is a loose homage to growing up in Southern California: first loves, sneaking out, finding your our own way—all while trying to outrun religious guilt,” the band shared in a press statement. “The song has become integral to our band and our live shows. We last played it live on Kimmel! a little over two months ago, which now feels like a distant memory from a bizarre alternate reality. Despite the looming anxiety of those final pre-quarantine days, that performance felt especially cathartic for us and was made all the more poignant by having Amelia on stage with us. She not only lent us her incredible voice but she wrote a beautiful new verse that taps into the nostalgia and the longing we all feel for a different time.“
“It was a joy to dip into summertime with Local Natives,” added Meath. “‘Dark Days’ is a beautiful illustration of being young, riding bikes, and trying to figure out how to love on and be vulnerable with someone. It was an honor to be asked to write a new verse and lend my voice to the story.”
Stream the track below.
