Los Angeles' dark folk-rock duo Dead Man's Bones, comprised of Ryan Gosling and Zach Shields, formed in 2005 after bonding over their shared interests in music, horror movies, and the supernatural. Originally conceived as a stage production, the duo shifted their focus to creating eerie, supernaturally themed music and enlisted the Silverlake Conservatory of Music's children's choir to evoke the spirit of the Langley Schools Music Project in their recordings. Their self-titled debut album, released in 2009, featured homemade videos for tracks like "Name in Stone" and "In the Room Where You Sleep," showcasing their unique approach to music-making that included self-imposed rules like no click tracks or electric guitars and limited takes for each performance.

Ryan Gosling, known for his acting roles in films like "The Notebook" and "Half Nelson," and Zach Shields came together to form Dead Man's Bones in 2005, drawing inspiration from their mutual love of music and the macabre. The duo's debut album, released in 2009, featured collaborations with the Silverlake Conservatory of Music's children's choir and a commitment to a DIY ethos that eschewed modern recording techniques in favor of a more raw, authentic sound. Through homemade videos and a hands-on approach to their music, Dead Man's Bones established themselves as a unique and haunting presence in the folk-rock scene, with plans to create videos for each track on their debut album in collaboration with visual artists like sculptor Arthur Ganson.