JONATHAN PERSONNE SHARES A DOUBLE SINGLE RELEASE “NUAGE NOIR” AND “NOUVEAU MONDE”
INDEPENDENT
Just over two years after the release of his self-titled third album, on which he embraces a smooth, clean sound, Jonathan Personne (a member of the Montreal band Corridor) releases a double single that bundles together his new songs “Nuage noir” and “Nouveau monde”.
“Nuage noir” was originally an acoustic track, built using a hypnotic, repetitive cadence. Instead, Jonathan Personne juxtaposed textured electric guitars and feedback to make it one of the noisiest songs of his repertoire, like if the Beach Boys ventured into shoegaze. The second chorus culminates into a single long note, creating a bridge that really savours the buzz.
The song’s vivid lyrics refer to toxic or egocentric people who drag others down by sucking up their energy. There are certain types of people who cry out for help but don’t seek it. If anything, they tend to drag us down with them. “What’s there to learn from that kind of person?” asks the artist. The answer lies in the song.
Directed by Liam Hamilton, who combines his animation techniques with live footage, the music video for “Nuage noir” brings together psychedelic shapes, pulsating edits and ’80s inspired grainy images for a sensational result.
Just like “Nuage noir”, “Nouveau monde” (“New World” in French) took an unexpected turn between the time Jonathan Personne wrote it and the time he recorded it alongside his collaborators Emmanuel Γthier (production, bass guitar) and Samuel Gougoux (drums, percussion). “It started with a simple guitar-voice home recording, but we ended up recording belt slaps on the floor of the studio,” he explains. They added a harmonica for a Little House on the Prairie vibe, while also inserting a synthesiser loop inspired by Cambodian singer Sinn Sisamouth into the mix. A fake oboe even makes a few appearances, ultimately giving a new world / one that will tower over the old.
By his own admission, Jonathan Personne is fed up with songs about the end of the world. That’s why he’s chosen to swap this term for “Nouveau monde”. We live in an age where it’s easy to sink into cynicism. We grow old with the feeling of being obsolete. Sadness is not going to help, we have to learn to accept our fate. This necessary optimism for change is reflected in the song’s dreamy arrangements, a contrast with “Nuage noir”, giving us a carefully balanced double single.
Jonathan Personne is the solo project of Jonathan Robert, singer and guitarist of the Montreal band Corridor (Bonsound/Sub Pop). His penchant for building lo-fi soundscapes and complicating simple elements to suit his style has opened up uncharted territory, putting him at the crossroads of dream pop, psychedelic rock, and krautrock. The singer and multi-instrumentalist made a name for himself as a solo artist with the albums Histoire naturelle (2019) and Disparitions (2020). In 2022, Jonathan Personne ventured into a new realm with his self-titled third album, revealing a more polished, smoother sound, orchestrated alongside talented producer Emmanuel Γthier. Still driven to make simple things complex, Jonathan Personne now unveils “Nuage noir” and “Nouveau monde”, two distinctive yet complementary songs.
Jonathan Personne
[Singles]
(Independent)
Release Date: October 30, 2024
ArtistΒ Links
Background Photo Credit: Antoine Giroux
SPILL NEW MUSIC: THE SARANDONS – “DRAWING DEAD”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: NONIGHT – “ARE YOU OUT THERE”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: DUO OF CYNTHIA TAURO AND BRENDAN CANNING SHARE NEW SINGLE βYOU GOT SOMETHINGβ ON ARTS & CRAFTS
SPILL NEW MUSIC: ο»ΏDOPE LEMON RELEASES NEW SINGLE βGOLDEN WOLFβ | A LUSH ODE TO THE MYSTERIES OF MORTALITY
