Psychedelic/Tribal Rock Band Flamingods Debut Video & Interactive Game for 'Kewali'

On the heels of their recent US live debut at SXSW, described by the "Austin Chronicle"'s Kevin Curtin as "...a wild party that sounds like Animal Collective with rabies", and the stateside release of their UK breakthrough album "Majesty", proclaimed by "The Big Takeover"'s Chuck Foster as "...beyond earthly exotica into alien territory", London-via-Bahrain psychedelic/tribal rock band Flamingods, unveil the video and interactive video game for their new single "Kewali". Newly signed by the UK's Moshi Moshi Records, the "Kewali" EP will be released on May 26th.

With electrifying melodies and immersive production, "Kewali" comes on like a wave of lysergic euphoria. In the band's words, "'Kewali' is a song deep rooted in love and the idea of celebrating what's around you; to be accepting and open to new experiences and cultures. It's something we felt particularly passionate about whilst writing the EP, given the uncertainty felt by so many around the world right now"

For the title track and first single of their upcoming new EP, Flamingods, director Amy Brown, and co-game designer Ben Chan, wanted to create a video and an interactive game that invites the band's fans through their resplendent psychedelic world. More video game than video, and available exclusively on the band's site, the visuals for "Kewali" sees the group challenging and redefining the promotional video format, sucking the viewer/player into the band's strange and zen-like world. Brown says, "I wanted the music video to be an immersive, exploratory experience to echo Flamingods genre defying approach to music making. Aesthetically, the 'Kewali' music video game is PS2 glitch meets Cool Boarders on shrooms. A lot of Rubicon was consumed in the making of this video."

Ostensibly a first-person walking sim in the vein of truly mind-bending contemporary blockbusters like "Dear Esther", "Gone Home", and "The Stanley Parable", "Kewali" uproots you, the nameless traveler, and places you in the psychedelic landscape around Kewali temple.

As you make your way closer to the temple, soundtracked by the band's new single, you encounter a variety of benevolent beings guiding you further in. Inside this surreal virtual wonderland you'll find gigantic fruit, shimmering shroom-evoking textures, constellations drawn in light, a friendly Kool-aid vendor, and a mysterious express temple tram, all gliding by in a rainbow-colored dream haze.

Here's the link to enter the Flamingods' kaleidoscopic imagination and play "Kewali":

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