10 months after the release of his fourth studio album, Twelve Carat Toothache, Post Malone has returned with his first new music of 2023, a lovesick pop ballad called “Chemical.” The song is three-and-a-half of sugary guitars and persistently upbeat automated drumming, over which Post belts lines like “You break me, then I break my rules / Last time was the last time too,” and “Outside of the party, smokin’ in the car with you / ‘Seven Nation Army,’ fighting at the bar with you.” Watch the song’s Alfred Marroquin-directed music video above.
In the time since Twelve Carat Toothache’s release, Post has had health issues. In September, he fell into a “big-ass hole” in the Enterprise Center stage while performing in St. Louis, landing heavily on his ribs. He was hospitalized for breathing issues and forced to cancel a show in Boston, but he bounced back shortly thereafter and resumed his U.S. tour. He played a set at Saudi Arabia’s Soundstorm Festival in December and performed at the 2023 NBA All-Star Game in February.