#alan wyffels

[nofatclips]

Without You by Perfume Genius from the album Set My Heart on Fire Immediately out on @matadorrecords - Director: Kristin Massa

[luuurien]

Perfume Genius - Ugly Season

(Art Pop, Avant-Garde Classical, Ambient Pop)

Mike Hadreas' latest album takes his boundless art pop to the logical extreme, doing away with the sturdy, magical pop of 2020's Set My Heart on Fire Immediately and moving towards psychedelic, unabashedly queer ambient and neoclassical pieces. Ugly Season has a wild, surreal internal logic that treats its shapeshifting nature as a powerful, sensual declaration of queer artistry and expression.

☆☆☆☆☆

There's something about Ugly Season's cover art that makes it more than just a pretty photo. Mike Hadreas' music has centered around his body- its feelings and physical movements, his battle with Crohn's diseases and the delightful curiosities of living as a queer man - and after his escape from corporeal yearnings and sorrows on 2017's No Shape, seeing him stand alone, staring down the camera on his masterful 2020 opus Set My Heart on Fire Immediately, it felt like a watershed moment, Hadreas fully embracing the joys and dismays of the human body and creating an album that took them all into account to make for his most confident and grandiose album to date. So now, as Ugly Season dashes a photo of him into a swirling painting of grays, purples and browns, his eyes still piercing through it all, it feels like another hint at what he's going for here, an album less connected to the physical world and more to the kinds of eternal, spiritually divine compositions of past queer trailblazers like Julius Eastman and Arthur Russell. The resulting music is nothing short of profound. With just a handful of other instrumentalists helping Hadreas bring these songs to life - Alan Wyffels contributing keyboards, woodwinds, chimes and voice; Rob Moose writing string arrangements; saxophone eccentric Sam Gendel; Matt Chamberlain drumming; Blake Mills playing just about every instrument under the sun  - the intimate compositions of Ugly Season are heightened by just how tightly wound and claustrophobic they feel. Save for two of Hadreas' 2019 singles, Pop Song and Eye in the Wall, finding their way onto the album, the entirety of Ugly Season is comprised of dark, moody Western classical and chamber pieces squeezed through a 6x10 inch cave entrance, dark and brooding yet unspeakably beautiful and full of magnificent details around every bend. Opener Just a Room brings you in with sharp, chilling drones that blanket his voice in skin-tearing atmospherics, Hadreas' soft and breathy singing like the last words of someone about to be swallowed by the mouth of a river. Once he reaches the bottom, it seems like almost anything is possible: Pop Song's glittery synths writhe like bioluminescent worms as Hadreas' crystalline falsetto turns couplets that sing of sex and gay relationships in abstracted, colorful terms - "Harvest the pit," "Sharpen the pull" - and the preceding Teeth's repeating mallet ostinato wraps a silky web around his minimalist songwriting, giving all the space to focus on his words before revealing just how few he needs to pull you in. Sometimes, he forgoes songwriting entirely, like on the midsection creeper Scherzo that separates the album's two halves with a tense piano piece that helps set the tone for Ugly Season's more intense second side, or on the harrowing finale Cenote where ambient layerings around Hadreas' soft, sensitive piano playing that creates a serene, almost utopic alcove where the hurt he works through across the album's 10 tracks seems to disappear, at least for a moment. Hadreas' work since he began in his late twenties has always centered itself around pop, even as he began to experiment more with texture and atmospherics in the late mid-2010s, but with Ugly Season he finally lets go of that defense, his music speaking entirely for itself as he refuses to give you anything but his barest emotions. Despite the impenetrableness of the music that description might imply, Ugly Season has the same level of instrumental depth and heaps of love poured into it that any of Hadreas' previous albums have. Though it's less contained than ever, there's no denying how spellbinding and compositionally genius the seven-minute Herem is, pinched string drones contrasting with Hadreas' gleaming vocals and Wyffels' gentle flute and synth playing, only the second song on Ugly Season yet one of its longest and darkest. It's that malleability in form that Hadreas uses to his advantage throughout, where the sweaty club sensuality of Eye in the Wall, with its churning house four-on-the-floor and psychedelic synths that evoke the midnight hours of a nightclub found at the bottom of a lake, can fit right in between the dub-infused title track and industrial chamber jazz dream Photograph and feel perfect nested right in that spot. Although he favors the more experimental side of his work in Ugly Season, his eye for detail and knack for unique song compositions hasn't been lost in the mix, Hellbent's spine-chilling synths and distorted guitars is eerily similar to the sound of his 2020 Nothing At All with its industrial clamor, but now contorted and bent into an entirely new shape. Nothing is ever solid here, and considering that he wrote these songs to score Kate Wallich's The Sun Still Burns Here, a magical, sex-positive and innovative dance performance, this kind of ambiguity and formlessness to the music makes complete sense. This is music that asks you to define its most important parts, what sticks out to you and what things are emphasized at any given moment. It's incredibly engrossing in a way few other albums are, not just creating a singular world for the music to exist in, but giving you the chance to understand its inner workings and warped, untethered logic. Now in the second half of his artistic journey, Mike Hadreas' work hasn't lost any of its sparkle and shine, these ten gorgeous songs making a fantastic and completely new statement for the now 40-year old musician. Mike Hadreas' work has always been on the outskirts of pop, but he removes himself entirely from that area with Ugly Season, turning from a baroque pop bard into a twitchy, anxious wizard, showing everything that's been lurking in the corners of his sound in widescreen, giving a microscopic look at all the little details that gave his previous work such character and presence. He brings out the same empathy and emotional intensity that makes his past albums so gripping, and has the music tell that story rather than his voice, eschewing his usual direct lyricism for oblique and imaginative storytelling that gets you invested without telling you everything outright. Ugly Season leaves you more in awe with Hadreas' artistry than ever, a once in a generation talent who inspects himself and the world around him with a careful eye that doesn't miss a single detail, pop as his blueprint and emotions as his guide. Now, as he embraces a sound that is healing, murky, and urgent, Ugly Season proves he can exist on the flipside of all that, too.

[lyrics2world]

Eye in the Wall Lyrics - Perfume Genius

Eye in the Wall Lyrics – Perfume Genius

Eye in the Wall Lyrics from Ugly Season is the latest English song sung by Perfume Genius.Eye in the Wall song lyrics written by Alan Wyffels, Perfume Genius, Blake Mills and produced by Blake Mills. Eye in the Wall Song Details Song: Eye in the Wall Album: Ugly Season Singer: Perfume Genius Written: Alan Wyffels, Perfume Genius, Blake Mills Producer: Blake Mills Eye in the Wall Lyrics Eye…

[rainydawgradioblog]

Ten Years Later: Perfume Genius - Put Your Back N 2 It

Revisiting the Seattle icon’s brilliant sophomore album a decade after its release 

Mike Hadreas’ musical project Perfume Genius has undergone a phoenix-like transformation since its inception early last decade, throwing off the shackles of past traumas in a celebration of love, self-expression, and self-actualization. Hadreas arrived on the scene in 2010 with Learning, a largely self-recorded collection of tender piano ballads. The project was quick to receive critical acclaim, marking Hadreas as one of the top up-and-coming stars of the indie scene. For his next record, Hadreas took the sound palette of Learning and refined it, making it more expansive and even more enveloping. The resulting Put Your Back N 2 It is an incredibly evocative piece of music, burning bright with love and shouldering pain in equal measure. The record celebrated its tenth birthday earlier this year, making 2022 the perfect year to reflect on one of the most consistently excellent artists of our generation. 

Mike Hadreas didn’t have an easy road to musical success. Growing up in Seattle, he was the only openly gay student at his high school, and was subject to bullying, violence, and even death threats from his classmates. Hadreas received zero support from school administration, and the situation led to him dropping out of school in his senior year. He was then attacked two years later by a group of young men who spotted him walking alone on the street, an attack which left him hospitalized. Hadreas would go on to struggle with drug addiction throughout his twenties, before his family intervened and took him to rehab. After his recovery, Hadreas was left in an awkward position, having little education or career prospects. He channeled his energy into his art however, and videos of him singing at his piano led to him being signed by Matador Records, who would release Learning in the U.S. It was the start of what would go on to become a fruitful career in music for Hadreas.  

Early Perfume Genius lyrics grapple explicitly with abuse, violence, sexuality, and his difficulties with Crohn’s disease. On Put Your Back N 2 It everything is laid bare, as Hadreas produces one moving, tear-jerker of a track after another. Opener “AWOL Marine” begins with a deep breath before a slow, rolling piano melody comes in. Hadreas utilizes space exceptionally on the record, giving his piano chords the time and the spotlight needed to deliver their full emotional resonance to the listener. The accompanying synths on “AWOL Marine” are used throughout the record, giving a warm, cinematic feel to many of the songs. The echoing vocals from Hadreas on the outro of the song deliver a similar effect, and these aspects in combination set a very immersive atmosphere right from the get-go; Put Your Back N 2 It is here to hold you and will not let you go. The simple guitar strumming of second track “Normal Song” provides a backdrop for Hadreas to croon: “and no violence - no matter how bad - can darken the heart - or tear it apart”. The lyrics on the record, much like the instrumentals, are simple but effective, producing a clearer focus on their content. 

Other songs take a much more blunt tone, and deal with difficult subject matter. The startling imagery evoked on “17” is meant to describe feelings of self-hatred and suicidality. The line “string it up on a fence” is a reference to the murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay man, in 1998. Put Your Back N 2 It refuses to shy away from topics such as these, instead bringing them to the surface in an exorcism of sorts. When the record was being written, gay couples still could not marry nationwide, something Hadreas cries out for on the beautiful track “All Waters”. The song was written for Hadreas’ long time partner and Perfume Genius keyboardist Alan Wyffels. Amidst a sea of hazy synths sit the lyrics: “when I can take your hand - on any crowded street - and hold you close to me - with no hesitation”. It’s a soul-stirring plea for love, an urge for a society who for so long has denied and decried the existence of queer people to sit up and take notice of their humanity. This aspect of the record holds great relevance a decade later, as at this very minute, right-wing politicians in the United States are launching a coordinated attack on the rights and safety of trans youth. The angelic sounding finale of “All Waters” soon tails off into nothingness, as if literalizing the silence from our institutions that too often follows in response to queer suffering. Put Your Back N 2 It is an incredibly compelling artistic statement taking inspiration from this, and it’s worth reminding ourselves that many of these social ills remain unresolved.

Hadreas goes for the emotive jugular once more on “Dark Parts”, a tribute to his mother who suffered sexual abuse as a child. As ever on the record, the belief in the power of love that Hadreas has is evident in the lines “but still he broke the elastic on your waist - but he’ll never break you baby - the love you feel is stronger”. “I will take the dark parts - of your heart into my heart” is a chilling promise to be there for the woman who supported him throughout his life. It’s yet another example of the incredible songwriting ability of Mike Hadreas, who tethers the listener to his every word. And that’s just scratching the surface of the many fantastic lyrics and musical choices made on Put Your Back N 2 It. Other highlights on the rest of the record include “Hood”, the album’s most upbeat tune which features a very insistent drum pattern. The title track is another heartwarming ballad about sexual intimacy, with backing vocals from Alan Wyffels. The closer “Sister Song” begins with a bare piano melody similar to the one that opened the record. The lyrics underline the importance of progression in life (“drive on, drive on - my special one”), and show that despite the hardships one might face, with love and support you may eventually grow and move forward.

And move forward Hadreas did. Put Your Back N 2 It is a real nexus in the Perfume Genius discography, a swansong of sorts for the piano ballads Hadreas made his name on. In the subsequent years since the record’s release, his music has become more unshackled, even celestial sounding, culminating in what I’d argue is Hadreas’ masterpiece: 2017’s No Shape. To me, Put Your Back N 2 It still remains his most touching work. It’s a phenomenal piece of music that everyone could do with hearing, and an absolutely essential piece of 21st-century indie and queer music from of the most brilliant artists working today. It takes a long, hard look at the abyss, but ultimately moves upward towards the light, urging others to follow. And that’s what makes it so powerful.

- Max Cohen

[fuckyeahperfumegenius]

[sinceileftyoublog]

Perfume Genius Album Review: Set My Heart On Fire Immediately

(Matador)

BY JORDAN MAINZER

Set My Heart On Fire Immediately is so far the best distillation of Perfume Genius. Mike Hadreas’ songs have always centered around life as a gay man; with his first couple records, he cooed with intimacy and tenderness with minimal, soft instrumentation to accompany him. 2014′s Too Bright was where he started to take a turn for the maximal; 2017′s Blake Mills-produced No Shape was a full-on commitment to dense, headphones-listen production. His new record has it all. Hadreas sings about love and sex and memory and masculinity, while Mills, along for the ride again, enhances the baroque pop and 60′s-inspired croons of Hadreas’ compositions.

Opener “Whole Life” starts with a deep breath from Hadreas, as if he knows he’s about to do some heavy lifting, processing past and current relationships throughout Set My Heart like it’s a therapy session. Thankfully, the instruments are there for him. On immediate standout "Describe”, he no longer knows what it’s like to feel good: “No bells anymore, just my stomach rumbling / Can you describe them for me?” he asks. Mills’ chugging guitar and background slide and Hadreas’ Renaissance synths evoke different eras of music, an appropriate mirror to Hadreas’ loss of conception. Hadreas’ musical and life partner Alan Wyffels is a major presence throughout the record, and his harpsichord on “Jason” and Rhodes on closer “Borrowed Light” signal the arrival of the former’s title character, inspired by a straight man with whom Hadreas had a sexual encounter at age 23. “On The Floor” is a portrayal of all-consuming desire, and Mills here is similarly unabashed, providing warped and fried synth guitar.

Of course, Set My Heart is filled with songs of devotion, too, both real and imagined. “Give me your weight, I’m solid” alternates with “Hold me up, I’m falling down,” on “Your Body Changes Everything”, a song where Hadreas and his partner are there for each other. His staccato, flute-like synthesizers and Sam Gendel’s swaying synth drums soundtrack the oscillation of feeling. On “Nothing at All”, over distorted, guitar-like synthesizers, Hadreas promises, “The sadness you carry, it hangs like a ghost / And I’ll just tear it down and I’ll wear it like a ribbon.” And even in a hazy state on the tremolo guitar-laden “One More Try”, where Hadreas’ “remembering” is “not what it used to be”, he declares, “baby blue, I still see you.” Perhaps most moving is the imagined wartime queer love story of “Just a Touch”, bolstered by subtle strings, Mills’ slinky guitar and bass, and Jim Keltner’s steady, echoing drums.

And then there’s emotional climax “Some Dream”, one of Perfume Genius’s greatest achievements to date. It starts surreal, Hadreas alone, both physically and mentally: “Endlessly lazy and dumb / I lick the day like salt from some dream,” he sings. The song explodes into a mid-section distorted guitar and piano dirge, as he starts to gain awareness and self-awareness, eerily prescient: “And all that time spent perfecting my look / Now there’s nobody around.” Eventually the song tails off into a wash of saxophone and synths, as Hadreas sings, “All this for a song?” It’s one of those moments that takes your breath away, having just witnessed the creator question everything he’s ever done, making you realize why he sings at the beginning of the record, “Half of my whole life is gone / Let it drift and wash away.” But the songs on Set My Heart dare to sound and be hopeful, not nihilistic. The passiveness Hadreas expresses--letting love and desire do its thing--offers a respite. Set his heart on fire, and he’ll gladly let it burn.

[me-having-a-stroke]

I HATE RANRARO MAMAMI!! HES SI FUCKUNG STIIPUD SNF UFLY HES LIRE “HEY SHDHCHI UR JOT ESANNA DAEt?” BAGK THE FUFL UP BICTHCH HE BELINFS TO DANS UNDERSTALE AAA!!!

[half-a-tiger]

PERFUME GENIUS - “Describe”, from the new album 'Set My Heart On Fire Immediately‘ out May 15th, 2020 via Matador.

Director:  Mike Hadreas

Director of Photography:  Danny Hiele

Production Designer:  Littleton Odom

Wardrobe Stylist:  Elizabeth Warn

Hair & Makeup:  Jenna Howell

Movement Direction:  Studio Kate Wallich

Editor:  Nathan Blackmon

Choreography/Performance: David Harvey, Lavinia Vago, Alan Wyffels, Laura Carella, Thomas House, Shauna Davis, Kate Wallich, Andrew Bartee, Jobel Medina, Genna Moroni

[constantly-becoming]

I want to be able to take photos of the people who mean the most in my life like he can.

[alain-convard]

Perfume Genius  

Rock School Barbey - Bordeaux - France - 28 11 2017

© a l a i n   c o n v a r d

[nofatclips]

Jenny Hval remix of Leave by Perfume Genius from the album IMMEDIATELY Remixes

[liveforthesound]

Gay Hymns

“Alan” by Perfume Genius

“Bird Gerhl” by Antony & the Johnsons

“Godspeed” by Frank Ocean

“We Don’t Try” by Chris Garneau

[allthelonelyplaces]

Mike seems to have it all — the house, the man, the career, the dog — but, throughout our time together, he tells me repeatedly that he is still haunted by ghosts, literally: the fragile “Every Night” is about an ominous spectral presence he senses wandering the house. “I have no reason to be as melancholy as I am,” he says, trailing off with a little sigh. “When l objectively look at it, I’m contented. I’m just sick of it…” Sick of what? I ask. “I don’t know, man. I’m trying to figure it out. I think a lot of it is this feeling that there’s something wrong with me — that I’m a bad person, that I’m not right. You know, I don’t feel like I make sense in the world. I don’t feel like I look right, I don’t feel like I act right or do right. It’s very frustrating to me that I just walk around with this all the time. I’ve made shit-loads of progress, but I want all of it to go. I’m not happy with it just being better. I want to be a ball of light just floating around.”

“Sobriety doesn’t solve everything,” Alan tells me. “Recovery is hard, and it’s really uncomfortable all the time. Some people think, I’m going to quit drinking and all my problems will be solved. But when you quit drinking, all your problems are actually pretty glaring. You have to stop, you have to repair your relationships, you have to think about your health, and paying bills, and being an adult.”

How Perfume Genius Grew Up And Started Thriving

[leguin]

If anyone is keeping the tradition of gay kitsch alive for the 21st century, it’s Mike Hadreas. He and his boyfriend of eight years, Alan Wyffels, both 35, live on a corner in Tacoma, Washington, in a house painted lemon on the outside, lime on the inside. There are animal figurines everywhere, an unnerving vintage color illustration of a child above the toilet that stares at me when I pee, and a Wi-Fi account called “Edith.”

How Perfume Genius Grew Up And Started Thriving

[fuckyeahperfumegenius]

[georgioscc]

10

Mike Hadreas, aka Perfume Genius, and Alan Wyffels perform from their home in Los Angeles on KEXP.

set my heart on fire immediately

perfume genius