VHS

At its core, "VHS" is a deeply personal and autobiographical retrospective on lost love, youthful romance, and the passage of time. For listeners familiar with the French indie pop scene, the song serves as a direct, bittersweet reflection on Matthieu Reynaud's (Mattyeux) past relationship and musical partnership with Adèle Castillon. The duo formed the massively popular project Videoclub in 2018, capturing the hearts of millions with their retro-pop romance before both their relationship and the band dissolved in 2021.

The lyrics of "VHS" explicitly reference the year 2018 ("Comme la vie en 2018 / Y'avait l'amour et les 'j'hésite' / Y'avait nos cœurs puis la musique"), marking the exact origin of Videoclub. Mattyeux uses the song to process the emotional aftermath of their split, navigating the surreal transition of going from romantic and artistic soulmates to complete strangers ("Qu'on deviendrait deux inconnus"). The overarching message is one of acceptance mixed with profound nostalgia; it acknowledges the pain of the breakup while celebrating the magical, 'mystical' era of their youth when they first conquered the music world together.

The narrative unfolds with a weariness of falsehoods and a deep desire to put an end to a painful chapter, yet love refuses to die, extending its reach directly into the protagonist’s dreams. Tears fall once again, prompting a deep dive into memories of a time when laughter came easily, serving as a shield against hardship. This mental plunge persists, grasping onto those fading moments before they are entirely stripped away. The separation is compared to a missed chance at romance or an attempt to impress someone that ultimately failed, leading to a quiet, magic-free parting where they say goodbye and slip away into their own lives.

As the reflection deepens, a quiet dialogue of longing and doubt emerges. While she weeps and holds onto thoughts of him, he remains caught in dreams, questioning what they once had. Visions of her appear in the sky like fleeting mirages, only to be swept away and denied by an oncoming storm. The narrator confesses he can no longer evade the truth; he is willing to love through the lingering fear. He oscillates between gazing deeply into her eyes and intentionally avoiding her look, pleading for her to remember the bond shared between a beautiful girl and a peculiar boy.

He constantly hears her reassuring whisper that the pain will eventually fade. Their vulnerability is laid bare—hearts open, eyelashes wet with tears. He offers to let go completely if it no longer brings her comfort, though he admits to feeling as if he is drowning. A sudden jolt of reality occurs when he spots her lookalike on a public bus, making it impossible for him to look away. This triggers an intense wave of nostalgia for the year 2018, a pivotal era defined by budding romance, hesitant steps, and the overwhelming presence of music. They were a perfect, contrasting pair: he was confusing and troubled, while she was mystical and enchanting. Looking back, he realizes that if someone had told him back then that they would eventually stop speaking and become complete strangers, he never would have believed it. The song closes on this painful realization, repeating the bittersweet truth that two people who shared everything have now become nothing more than two ghosts in each other’s lives.

"VHS" was written, composed, and produced by Matthieu Reynaud, performing under his solo moniker Mattyeux. Released on July 11, 2025, through Cathodic Prod and distributed by Sony Music Entertainment France, the track marks a significant milestone in his solo career. The song was co-composed by Tao Le Hen, with mixing and recording contributions from Régis Reynaud, and mastering by Vincent Louvet.

The creation of "VHS" is heavily rooted in the legacy of Videoclub, the synth-pop duo Matthieu formed with his then-girlfriend Adèle Castillon in Nantes back in 2018. Following their highly publicized breakup and the subsequent dissolution of Videoclub in 2021, both artists embarked on solo paths. While Adèle pursued a more mainstream, upbeat pop direction, Matthieu took his time, focusing on complex, nostalgic musical compositions under the name Mattyeux. "VHS" was conceived as a sonic and thematic bridge to his past, intentionally incorporating the retro synthesizer arrangements and vintage drum machine patterns that originally defined the Videoclub sound. In promo visuals, Matthieu even wore Videoclub merchandise, cementing the song as an intentional, vulnerable tribute to the era that launched his career.

The lyrical structure of "VHS" primarily utilizes traditional French poetic structures, relying heavily on standard crossed rhymes (ABAB) and rhyming couplets (AABB) to create a sense of symmetry and musicality. For example, in the opening verse, we see a tight ABAB scheme: mensonges / achève / prolonge / rêves. This formal structure gives the lyrics a rhythmic flow that mirrors the steady, mechanical pulse of a tape player.

In terms of rhythm, the song features a mid-tempo, driving 4/4 electronic beat (approximately 110-115 BPM) that provides a danceable yet introspective foundation. There is a fascinating interplay between the rigid, precise rhythm of the synthesized drum track and the fluid, syncopated phrasing of Mattyeux's vocal delivery. While the instrumentation keeps a steady forward momentum, his vocals often lag slightly behind the beat, enhancing the melancholic, hesitant mood of the lyrics ("Y'avait l'amour et les 'j'hésite'").

Literarily, Mattyeux employs a stream-of-consciousness narrative style that shifts fluidly between direct address (speaking to his former partner) and internal monologue. The use of juxtaposition is prominent, especially in the lines contrasting his 'troubling' nature with her 'mystical' aura ("J'étais troublant t'étais mystique"), highlighting the complementary but ultimately volatile chemistry of their youth. Rhetorical questioning is also used to emphasize his sense of disorientation and drowning in his own thoughts ("Est-ce que c'est le cas?").

Musically, the song is a masterclass in retro-futuristic synth-pop. Mattyeux employs vintage analog synthesizer pads, pulsating basslines, and crisp drum machine beats that evoke late 1980s nostalgia. A particularly notable technique is the incorporation of instrumental synth hooks that serve as the chorus, a hallmark of French new wave and synth-pop. The vocal delivery is soft, breathy, and slightly recessed in the mix, conveying a sense of intimacy and vulnerability as if he is whispering his secrets directly to the listener. The use of panning and light reverb on the vocals enhances the dreamlike, underwater atmosphere of the track, mimicking the feeling of being submerged in memories.

While released as a solo track by Mattyeux rather than under the official Videoclub banner, "VHS" carries immense cultural weight among fans of the late duo. Upon its release in July 2025, the song sparked widespread discussion and emotional reactions across indie music communities, particularly on platforms like TikTok, Reddit, and YouTube. Fans quickly picked up on the overt references to 2018 and the structural similarities to Videoclub's iconic track "Roi," treating "VHS" as the spiritual, albeit tragic, epilogue to the band's discography.

The track's release solidified Mattyeux's standing as the primary architect behind Videoclub's signature retro sound. Although it did not achieve the massive commercial radio rotation of "Amour Plastique," "VHS" was highly acclaimed by indie music critics for its raw sincerity, poetic lyricism, and pristine retro-pop production. It immediately found a home on major editorial playlists across Spotify, Apple Music, and Deezer, serving as a cultural touchstone for Gen Z listeners who romanticize the late-2010s bedroom pop era.

The title "VHS" serves as the central metaphor of the song. A physical VHS tape represents an outdated, analog medium of recording memories—it is fragile, prone to distortion, and degrades over time, much like the narrator's fading memories of his past relationship. The physical wear and tear of a cassette tape mirror the emotional weathering of the two former lovers.

Several other key metaphors and symbols are woven throughout the lyrics:

• The Mirage and the Storm: In the second verse, the narrator sings of seeing "mirages of you" in the sky, which are promptly chased away and disavowed by an oncoming storm. The mirage symbolizes his idealized, lingering illusions of his ex-partner, while the storm represents the harsh reality and emotional turbulence that forces him to face the truth.
• The Lookalike on the Bus: Spotting a "double" or lookalike of his ex on a bus symbolizes the haunting nature of unresolved grief. It emphasizes how the past continuously intrudes upon his mundane, everyday present, showing that he is still subconsciously searching for her in crowds.
• The Girl and the Weird Boy: The line "Jolie fille au garçon bizarre" (Pretty girl and the weird boy) symbolizes the classic, contrasting dynamic of their partnership—juxtaposing the bright, charismatic public persona of his partner with his own introverted, eccentric, and production-focused personality.

The most prominent recurring motif is the year 2018, which is repeated in both the pre-chorus and the climax of the song. This specific year acts as an emotional anchor, grounding the listener in the exact moment of creation for both the romance and the musical identity of Videoclub. By repeating the lines about 2018, Mattyeux underscores how deeply he is stuck in that temporal loop, unable to fully detach his present identity from his past success.

Another powerful recurring line is "Qu'on deviendrait deux inconnus" (That we would become two strangers), which acts as the tragic emotional resolution of the song. Its repetition at the end of the track serves to reinforce the permanent, chilling reality of their estrangement. Musically, the signature synth lead—a bright, bittersweet melody reminiscent of Videoclub's classic hit "Roi"—functions as a recurring instrumental motif, evoking instant nostalgia for longtime fans and bridging the gap between Matthieu's past work and his solo evolution.