Twenty One Pilots Dance Toward Hope on ‘Level of Concern’

Twenty One Pilots try to tap into a little bit of hope amid the coronavirus pandemic on their new song, “Level of Concern.”

The track marks the alt-rock duo’s first new music since their 2018 LP Trench; it was written in recent weeks while frontman Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun were self-isolating. “Level of Concern” boasts an upbeat groove that’s built around a shimmering disco-esque guitar (“First song I ever wrote on electric guitar,” Joseph noted on Twitter). While the lyrics are ultimately about trying to capture some optimism, they’re still earnest and honest about the chaos everywhere: “I don’t really care what they would say,” Joseph sings, “I’m asking you to stay/In my bunker underneath the surface.”

“Level of Concern” arrives with a music video, directed by Reel Bear Media. The clip finds Joseph and Dun sending a flash drive back and forth as they film themselves working on the song and video, even enlisting their partners and families to help redecorate their respective homes with flashing lights and glow-in-the-dark stars.

A portion of the proceeds from “Level of Concern” will be donated to Crew Nation, a relief fund specifically for touring and venue crews who have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.