Art and Nature Connect in “Clear” by JONO

For those of you that may not know, I study sustainability at school and work to implement sustainability initiatives in the music/entertainment industry together, so it should be no surprise that I was ecstatic to receive information about JONO, his work, and get the chance to speak with him about his new track and accompanying music video, “Clear.” We got to chat about his inspirations, creative processes, ideas to improve our planet, and what he hopes the audience receives from his art.

“JONO is an instrumental post rock solo project from where music meets visuals through nature. Each song is written to have a theme based on a specific place or landscape in nature that is then brought to life through music videos. Based in Orange County, CA circa 2016, Jonathan Bareford (composer, guitarist/bassist, director) highlights the importance of visuals to instrumental music in an ambitious, cinematic way that has not been done before. Making sure to visit and capture the actual locations that inspire the music, JONO is more of an experience than anything else and one that even supports a cause for wilderness preservation through fundraising such as the recent partnership with Conservation Northwest. A project to get behind for the sake of instrumental rock and our environment.”

This very aesthetically pleasing video was filmed in Alaska drawing nostalgic inspirations from films like “Alien” and “The Terminator” switching from an industrial feel to a nature feel. This layered instrumental track and video feel perfectly timed to me. One of the current favorite trending topics not only to myself, but what feels like most of the internet, “Top Gun: Maverick,” which released on the same day as this video, has a scene that I believe would pair well with this track. “Top Gun: Maverick” is the long awaited sequel to the 1986 classic, “Top Gun” also takes viewers on a trip down memory lane. To avoid giving too much away for those who have not yet seen the movie, there is a scene towards the end of the film with snow, nature, and nostalgia, like JONO’s video. 

During our conversation, he brought up how music connects us in this fragile world. I could not agree more. As someone who works in entertainment and environmental fields, I combine them together whenever I can. To me, this raises awareness about one aspect of the world to another. While there is no perfect solution, as JONO mentioned during our talk, there are things the music industry can do to improve our home. For example, travel from fans and the tour produce the most carbon emissions, so going electric and carpooling whenever possible can help.

 JONO wants his audience to know that music (or any field) does not have to be approached in a traditional way. His unorthodox approach to music is what satisfies him and makes him feel like he is giving back. Topics like climate change do not have to be presented in something like a political ad, but through art and music.