The American Dream is synonymous with the optimistic outlook of creatives who flock to great cities of the US in search of success. Chris Hills, the founding member of Peak Futures, is no exception to this allegory as he spent over a decade walking the well-trodden streets and immersing himself in the sights and sounds of that bustling metropolis New York City.
Speaking about the wealth of experience that led to the creation of new single ‘Broadway’, Hills shares with us:
“I lived in New York for 12 years – arriving there like so many others with hopes and dreams. When Joe [Bernie] wrote the lyrics over some progressions we had they resonated with me on so many levels. It’s about a character who comes to the city struggling to make a new life, but who is still tied to their past. Like the generations of musicians that went before me, living in New York had an influence on my musical sensibility that’s hard to overstate.”
It’s Joe Bernie’s electrifying voice that you hear on ‘Broadway’, as was also featured on the band’s debut ‘Orion’, released just a month back. While the collective is as fluid as can be, there are mainstays to Peak Futures‘ sound that give them a distinct tone and, so far for us, it’s been Bernie’s impressive vocal range and front man-style performance.
We also love that stripped-back rhythm reminiscent of the bands’ soul forbears, which provides the perfect soundtrack for what really is a stream-of-consciousness piece of storytelling in which our determined protagonist jumps between different arguments of whether they should keep going or head back home. Perhaps this was influenced by Chris Hills own experiences as he eventually left New York for London back in 2019; a serendipitous event that led to the meeting of Sara De Santis and Joe Bernie, and later other band members, prompting the formation of Peak Futures itself.
‘Broadway’ is the third single to be released from Peak Futures‘ forthcoming album, Colours of the Sun, due May 21st. Check out our interview with the band here.
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