Set My Heart Into A Daze: Perfume Genius Explores Greatness

"Moving forward albeit casual and introspective, Hadreas perfects the hypothesis of growing and harnessing one’s potential."

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The mind-blowing visionary of Mike Hadreas (a.k.a. Perfume Genius) lingers throughout his fifth studio album. An ambitious record from head-to-toe, Perfume Genius establishes himself as a pop savior with traces of flowing indie-rock and glamorous soul. Hadreas enters into a world of hushed melodies and wide-eyed opportunities as Set My Heart On Fire Immediately winds up becoming a mix of stylistic decade changes.

“Whole Life” opens up the LP with vast harmonies, a twinkling piano riff, and poised lyrics full of quiet tones. Hadreas flows over the elegant string orchestration with ease. In “Jason,” a tamed falsetto appears as lyrics of story-telling and truth appear in thin air. With lyrics “Clumsily, shakily/He ran his hands up me/He was afraid/Tears streaming down his face,” Hadreas tells of a past sexual encounter with a straight man.

Set My Heart… contains moments of peripheral vision by viewing the past as this phenomenon of confusion and a burden of desire. Hadreas swirls around simplistic melodies and croons his heart out as the eerie falsetto-ed “Some Dream” picks up into a storm of growing insecurities.

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By exploring organic, self-inflicted sounds, Hadreas roams into a land of short stories that depict delicate textures throughout “Leave” and instills Fifties rock and roll origins with the crooning “One More Try”. Amidst the lowlife, lackluster-esque simplicity, Hadreas performs an eclectic staging within “Your Body Changes Everything” as he cowls with “Give me your weight, I’m solid/Hold me up, I’m falling down”.

Moving forward albeit casual and introspective, Hadreas perfects the hypothesis of growing and harnessing one’s potential. Without a peep of loudness, Hadreas grows into a matured state of mind that’s flourished and laid back.

The sing-along, dance tune “On The Floor” depicts hopelessness settling into the atmosphere ablaze quirky guitar riffs and echoic vocals. On “Describe,” Hadreas establishes a power-chord heavy tune that’s asking for what good feels like. And hypnotic flourishes of the supernatural “Moonbend” twist the mind into a cacophony of unusual, spellbinding tactics.

From top to bottom, Set My Heart On Fire Immediately ranges from serial dissonance to existentialism while impersonating tales of past exposure and questioning what life has to offer. Hadreas summons Perfume Genius in an idyllic manner. By transcending beyond reality, Hadreas unveils a darkened palette as he confronts the physical tortures the world provides. With confessional grit and meticulous grandeur, Hadreas paints a world of deliberate contour and human intimacy.