Jonathan Personne goes from ‘60s pop to shoegaze on Nuage noir and Nouveau monde, two songs that complement each other in their differences

ust 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 Éthier (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.