Peter Kernel haven’t gone all dramatic on us with Heartbreak. The new single from Swiss-Canadian duo Barbara Lehnhoff and Aris Bassetti is about broken hearts, but there’s no wallowing here: just a melody that sticks, plenty of movement and a lightness that makes it sound like they’ve decided to take the whole thing in their stride. It lands three years after Drum To Death, with dates in Switzerland and France coming up in November.
Musically, they’ve gone for a bright, classic jangle pop/power pop sound, though the alternative rock DNA is still very much there. The guitar is clean, shiny and jangly, with open chords and a very melodic riff. There’s a touch of Pixies in that straight-to-the-point simplicity, but the bass is the real star: high, playful and constantly moving. That very New Order clash between something you could dance to and something quietly melancholy gives the track its post-punk pull.
What I like most about Heartbreak is that it’s about heartbreak without sounding sad. There’s a bit of melancholy, sure, but mostly it has that resigned “well, here we are again” feeling. In the lyrics, a broken heart is basically an old acquaintance, almost part of the routine. They don’t even give it the satisfaction of being dramatic: “Your power is tedious”, they tell it, and that’s the epic heartbreak narrative dealt with. The chorus nails the contradiction: “I want you, I want you, but I know I don’t want to”. Knowing something is bad for you doesn’t magically stop you wanting it.
Remember the first time someone broke your heart? It hurts like hell. Then, eventually, you learn the warning signs. Every time it comes back, you brace for impact, until one day you just make a bit of room for it, like an old friend you never actually invited round. It still hurts, just less, because you know the whole bloody story by heart.
The visualiser says it all: Barbara and Aris calmly demolishing a heart-shaped pizza. Turns out knowing your heart might get broken again is still not enough to stop you falling in love.
TOUR DATES
Nov 19 – La Peniche – Chalon Sur Saone – FR
Nov 20 – Des Pies Chicaillent – Rennes – FR
Nov 21 – Festival Invisible – Brest – FR
Nov 22 – Jokers – Angers – FR
Nov 26 – Bruit Blanc – Briançon – FR
Nov 27 – Jest Festival – La Friche La Belle de Mai – Marseille FR
Nov 28 – Vacarme Exquis – Bourg Valences – FR
Dec 4 – Caves Manoir – Martigny – CH (TBC)
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