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Dust flies into the air as a white minivan speeds away from a city. Inside the car, the father’s face is set in a tight line while the mother and son exchange anxious looks. A drone follows close behind, ominously displaying one word: warning. No, this is not the U.S. border (either side), but it is rather the tension-packed middle of Starset’s music video for its new song, The Breach. Let’s rewind back to the beginning. 

Starset’s fourth album, Horizons, is set for release on Oct. 22, and can be found on music services such as Spotify and Apple Music. As a teaser, The Breach and its music video was released on Sep. 10. 

We open with a shot of a digital red wall – think a mix of the Matrix and neurons – encircling a city, and enclosing individual homes as well. Lead singer Dustin Bates’ voice echoes in the background, with drums slowly beginning to build – and then the instrumental kicks in. 

It’s at this point that I must confess I do not actually know much about music. To me, things either sound “good”, or “OK, I guess.” So, take my review with a grain of salt, and feel free to listen to the song yourself. 

Continuing onwards, there is the usual duo of drums and guitar chugging at the rhythm, and, what has appeared more audibly in Starset’s more recent songs, electronic touches that hint at the chorus. During all of this, we are introduced to our protagonists, a family with computer implants(that look coincidentally like everyday watch batteries) in their temples. They appear to be relaxing on a peaceful day, with the son playing, and the mother reading, but there’s a twist: Each choice they make must first be approved by an unseen AI. 

The chorus bursts forth as their holographic screens erupt with warnings, and glitch out, replaced with a peculiar logo. Its meaning is unknown to us, but the family takes it as their cue to get out, with the parents ushering along their son. As they rush to their car, the barrier surrounding their home now gone, rapid camera cuts help add to the pressure building.

As we return back to the middle of the video, the vocals give way to a breakdown that most would describe as “gnarly”. Again, the drone circles around the car, and the circle continues to close. 

The song quiets down, repeating the first lines again, as we are treated to a view of the red border, knitting itself back together all around the city. The chorus comes back with a vengeance as the lines now converge on the family’s car, only meters behind. 

The guitar takes over, repeating a tense riff as the mother exchanges seats with her son, afraid the border will separate the front and back. With one last shot of each family member, the screen rapidly flashes red, before turning black. 

Seconds later, the word “SUPPLICATED” briefly flickers on the screen, before cutting to show the car. It seems the father and son have made it through safely, but the look of horror on the father’s face(and the red lights in the mother’s temple) confirm what we suspected. In despair, the father lays his head on sleeve, but the flash of headlights in the night draw both remaining family members’ attention. A white car trundles and a figure gets out. It is one of Starset’s members, but is he there to help or hurt? 

Although the theme of civilians controlled by an all-seeing AI is nothing new at this point, the acting and music work together to create an ambitious start to Starset’s plans to expand on the story behind their songs. Something they have done in many different ways in previous albums, their shift from space exploration to a dystopian future has also come with a shift in style. Sure to surprise, the release date for Horizons is definitely one to keep in mind.