The new EP by Ethel Cain creates terror in murky, droning soundscapes challenging listeners’ loyalties, in turn reflecting her tumultuous relationship with popular culture and the music industry at large.
Ethel Cain’s (whose real name is Hayden Silas Anehedonia) 2022 album, Preachers Daughter, launched her rapidly into the mainstream as an alt-pop auteur with dreamy yet twisted hits including “American Teenager” and “Strangers”.
Since then, Anehedonia has consistently been open about her struggle with fame and fandom, stating to the New York Times in 2022 “I don’t want to be a celebrity”. This tournament is realised as Cain’s previous Southern gothic storytelling has become an almost relentless horror in Perverts.
Despite this, Perverts is far more than just a ploy to test her fans, acting as an exploration in the artists’ beloved drone genre, shifting away from lyrical narratives instead of being compromised of spooky brown noise soundscapes which occasionally give way to unnerving silences accompanied by sparse lyricism.
The themes of Perverts are most apparent in the sermon-like 6th track “Pulldrone” with its abstract storytelling split into twelve numbered sections drawing heavily on the biblical themes paired against industrial noise, ending with a tortuous violin.
Despite the shift away from storytelling, the stand-out tracks are those which managed to combine the move towards drone music with some lyrics, especially the closer “Amber Waves” which is a more gentle track, more reminiscent of her classic style sounding completely effortless in its delivery.
“Vacillator” is also a standout with the lyrics acting as some small relief to the abrasive sounds of the record thus far while also exploring aspects of the perverted psyche. It is also the best example of the seductive nature that Anehedonia has stated she believes is central to this project.
Even as recently as this week Cain has shown her disdain for the mainstream, coming under fire for a recent Instagram post including the hashtag #KillMoreCEOs in reference to the murder of UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson.
Despite being a challenging listen, the bold artistic statement taken by Ethel Cain in Perverts is not only an admirable artistic statement but results in a satisfyingly terrifying listen with the EP excelling in its moments of quietness, as the tension of the ambient horror builds.
4& 1/2 Stars
Image Credits: “Ethel Cain at Gunnersbury Park (2023-08-20) 03 (cropped)” by u/ishouldgooutmore on Reddit is licensed under CC BY 4.0.