PREMIERE: See N NAO’s World Through Thermal Vision for “Château d’eau”
Photo credit: N NAO
On her third full-length Nouveau Langage, the Montréal artist (Naomie de Lorimier) builds a shimmering science-fiction of desire.
Following the aquatic dreamworld of L’eau et les rêves and the occult spirals of Miroir, Nouveau Langage marks the fire chapter in N NAO’s ongoing exploration of the elements — an album charged by the idea that everything in the universe is held together by invisible currents of attraction. Produced with Jean-Bruno Pinard and featuring a constellation of collaborators, the record glows with restless energy, intimacy and transformation.
We’re thrilled to premiere the self-directed video for “Château d’eau,” a striking closing moment in this era as N NAO reflects on the song’s origins, the year that followed Nouveau Langage, and what it means to step into the next phase of her ever-evolving practice.
REVERIE: “Château d’eau” arrives at the close of this album cycle. Looking back, how does this track reflect where you were when you made the record and what is it about - and where does it find you now?
The album was built up over several years, with different layers of time superimposed. Looking back, I see now how I changed through the process, quietly shifting my desire to write from my heart to my gut. This album explores desire in all its forms. Exploring trance, dance and hypnosis. It’s quite eclectic, moving from club to ambient in a heartbeat. “Château d’eau” was first recorded in New York with my friend Jon Nellen in December 2022, and came in a very intuitive burst. I improvised most of the text focusing more on the sounds of the words because Jon wouldn't understand the meaning. When we were recording, I didn’t know that the album would be titled ‘’New Language’’ which gives me chills today: that’s what I was creating but I didn’t know it yet.
REVERIE: This past year has felt like a huge moment of growth for you, both creatively and publicly. What stands out to you most when you think about everything that’s happened since the album’s release?
I feel like I was more able to really take in all the love surrounding Nouveau Langage. For the first time, it was really fulfilling. I was also simultaneously grieving my beloved grand-mother Lucie, my close confidant who died just a month before the release. For each single, she sent me heartfelt emails about the song and lyrics with cute little emojis, telling me how she liked my music and wanted to spend time together. When the album came out, it made me miss our connection and appreciate every little word of affirmation even more. I have grown a lot through this grief and found validation within myself :’)
REVERIE: What was the starting point for the video (that you made yourself!)—did the imagery come from the song itself, or from something you were personally inspired by at the time?
Nouveau Langage is my fire album, within my series on the element. The use of a thermal camera was a matter of course! I wanted to use it in Pleine Lune as we were filming the live session but it arrived too late for the shoot. My DOP Léa Taillefer advised me to do some tests before sending back the camera. I did some research on Youtube watching thermal camera tricks, as the temperature influences the colors of the objects filmed, I went to buy various hot and cold items to test how differently they’d look on camera. I had some fun that day all by myself. I then had the idea to test the shower: how would the hot water and the steam come out through the thermal camera, how would the colors change on my skin as I undressed and got behind the curtain? The intimate moment of showering – filmed with so much love, care and kindness by my partner Charles – is also a nod to Chantal Akerman’s Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975), a movie that really moved me by its portraying of daily rituals. I chose Château d’eau because of the water theme of the song and I find it satisfying that it now resembles lava.
REVERIE: As a self-directed project, what parts of the process felt the most freeing, and what parts challenged you in new ways?
Creating some sort of mythology around my music is something that comes naturally to me. When I write an album, I harvest and nourish a strong inner world by cultivating a clear iconography surrounding each explored theme. When it comes to editing a video, I just have to let it out almost unconsciously. Editing can also become an intense process, which can quickly monopolize all of my time and attention. In these moments, the biggest challenge is to take a step back, because I am so involved. My art is intimate and intertwined with my personal life, almost like journaling … which might also be one of my strengths. So mostly freeing I would say!
REVERIE: Now that this chapter is coming to a close, what are you carrying with you into the next phase of your practice?
As much as I love and need collaboration, I want to have both hands in my craft more than ever. I want to trust my gut and my ears especially. I also want to take care of my brain, read some books, watch movies, write scores, see the world, hang with my friends, archive, write an essay, make a movie… all doors are open and it’s exciting! I am starting to unwind and create some headspace for my new album about air, continuing my research on the elements (L’eau et les rêves = water, Nouveau Langage = fire) digging about hauntology, clouds, ghosts, weather, climate change, opera… lets discover where this leads to :)
