Broke Royals broke ground with their previous singles, ‘As Long As I Can See’, and ‘Higher’, sending them down a path intersecting soaring pop rock songwriting, skilled production, and emotionally charged lyrics. Their latest track, ‘Bad Chemicals’, continues along that road.
With their music, Colin Cross and Philip Basnight set out to navigate the depths and complexity of ther music, and their new single is their most ambitious track yet, with the pair channelling their musical heroes, U2, and Bruce Springsteen, as they tackle one of society’s most pressing issues, the rise of artificial intelligence.
Inspired by the work of Yuval Noah Harari, the lyrics describe a character struggling with PTSD, and examines their decision not to undergo surgery for new AI-powered biotechnology, which the US government is currently testing to treat the condition. The song, which shows the band flexing a different side to their sound, opens up the discussion with soaring riffs and stirring rhythms, and the video showcases the directing skills of their collaborator, Scott Hansen. With ‘Bad Chemicals’ he opens up his skill set, showing a heartbreakingly raw performance by the actors. Veterans themselves, they portray veteran siblings, and what happens when one doesn’t return. It’s not so much a video about wars, but rather what happens once returned home – the battles which continue.
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