The Chainsmokers - So Far So Good (+ Time Bomb) (2022)

The Chainsmokers have released the third and final single from the deluxe version of their latest album, ‘So Far So Good.’ The new single, ‘Time Bomb,’ follows recently released tracks, ‘The Fall‘ with Ship Wrek and ‘Why Can’t You Wait‘ with Bob Moses.

While fans had to wait nearly three years for new music after the release of their third album, ‘World War Joy,’ the duo quickly added three new singles to their most recent release just weeks after ‘So Far So Good‘ hit streaming services. Spread out over several weeks, the new songs fit in and in some ways even elevate the album, adding some diversity to the original tracks. For ‘Time Bomb,’ the track is an un-credited female vocal focused track, although the internet is saying its Chloe George, which is a welcome addition as the group obviously has a strong history of success with vocal-led tracks when reflecting on singles such as ‘Closer,’ ‘Takeaway’ and ‘Roses,’ but has since leaned strongly on Drew’s voice for most songs. Drew can be heard on the single, adding a solid layer of backing vocals, giving a further dimension to the lyrics and vocals overall.

The lyrics of ‘Time Bomb’ are heavily focused on celebrity, party and social media focused lifestyles, a topic that has been heavily utilized in their work starting around the ‘Sick Boy‘ era of the group. The opening lyric, “Found my corner of the matrix, No, I never thought I’d say this, But it turns out all my friends are famous, So concerned with reputation,” truly set the scene for rest of the lyrics, especially the hook which is immediately catchy and further develops the theme. “Yeah, I’m a ticking time bomb, looking for my ride home, Flicking through my iPhone, no destination,” opens and closes the hook, giving listeners a go to sing along while also revealing the emptiness of a lifestyle validated by blue check marks and likes on a screen. For The Chainsmokers, it is the end of another musical era, but for fans, there is still a world tour on the horizon to celebrate their newest creation.