Lausanne multi-instrumentalist Olivier Cornu released “Chemicals” on December 5th under his Moon Construction Kit project. Cornu’s been building this sound since his 2022 self-titled debut EP, pulling from late ’60s psych-pop, modern synth-pop, and detailed production work. His 2025 single “Long John Silver” leaned into that psych-pop angle, but “Chemicals” takes a sharper turn. He calls it “power-goth-pop,” which is oddly accurate.
The track blends indie-rock grit with goth atmosphere and pop instincts, mixing Guy Britton on mixing duties. Cornu does everything else himself, writing, performing, and producing layer by layer in what he describes as a meticulous process. The song deals with emotional overload, that feeling of being stuck between too much sensation and the need to shut it all off. It’s his most visceral release yet.
Musically, it’s very unique. The combination of musical layers and their placement in the stereo image of the song makes it feel intimate and bigger than life at the same time. The choice of harmony also works in favor of this same effect. A great artistic choice to go along with the lyrical themes. The music sounds like what it feels like to be overwhelmed, to feel too much, and then trying to shut yourself off. But we are in a way prisoners to the chemicals in our mind. Attempting alteration is dangerous, which is conveyed brilliantly with a bridge section towards the end of the song.
Cornu pulls comparisons to The Cure meeting Nada Surf, which tracks when you hear how the moodiness sits against the melodic hooks. He’s been carving out his own corner of the alternative world by mixing vintage warmth with modern tension, and “Chemicals” pushes that further. For a one-man project where everything gets built solo, the production has real depth. Worth checking out if you’re looking for something that sits outside the usual indie-rock patterns.
