“[His] songs feel like treasures, ones that fill you with power and wisdom.” – Pitchfork
“A breakthrough artist…he doesn’t just hold your attention — he demands it.” – Time Magazine
The enigma. The Queen.
Perfume Genius is Seattle’s Mike Hadreas, with “a voice that melts every stone” (Pitchfork) and lyrics that bleed with “profound beauty” (The New Yorker). He’s a singer-songwriter who writes both fragile heartbreaking ballads and steely, menacing songs about personal struggles. His music is a quiet triumph, and Split Works is proud to present Perfume Genius’ 2015 China Tour. He’s playing two dates in December, including Shanghai on December 11 (Q House), Beijing on December 12 (Mao Livehouse).
Most listeners know his 2014 single ‘Queen’, a swaggering, confrontational underground classic that topped the music charts and was hailed as one of the ‘Songs of the Year’ (Slate). And there’s so much more to Perfume Genius.
Over the course of two astonishing albums, he’s cemented his place as a singer-songwriter of rare frankness, creating songs that, while achingly emotional, offer empathy and hope, rather than judgment or cynicism. Sparse, gorgeous and with Hadreas’ quavering vocals often only accompanied by piano, 2010’s Learning and 2012’s Put Yr Back N 2 It tell uncommonly beautiful tales of a life lived on the dark side.
His third album, 2014’s Too Bright, was something else altogether. Powerful and raw, visceral and even angry. Less self-conscious, and less concerned with storytelling and easily-digested melodies, it is a bold and unpredictably creative exploration of what Hadreas calls “an underlying rage that has slowly been growing since age ten and has just begun to bubble up”.
It’s a spectacular transformation; the sign of a performer at the peak of his craft. The resultant album is a stunning evolution of his music, walking the tightrope between pure songwriting and overt experimentation. Portishead’s Adrian Utley produced the album, using both synths and organic instrumentation to push the tracks to darker and more unreal heights. The album was released to worldwide critical acclaim.
Perfume Genius is also quite something to see live. His mischievous sense of defiance runs rampant on stage, completed with surreal imagery and one of the most stunning voices in contemporary indie.
In an interview about his recent work, he says he felt “like I had woken some ancient beast which began to rattle and threaten to rise.” With this upcoming 2015 China Tour, consider the demon awoken.
Join Perfume Genius, live in Beijing and Shanghai, for an entrée into his dark, intimate mind.
Perfume Genius China Tour Information
【SHANGHAI】
Date: December 11, Friday
Venue: Q House (QSW 2nd Floor)
Address: QSW Culture Center, 179 Yichang Lu, near Jiangning Lu
Time: 9pm
Tickets: 180 (Door) / 140 (Presale)
Presale Link: https://yoopay.cn/event/PerfumeGeniusSH
* Pre-sales end on 12 noon, Dec. 11th, 2015
【BEIJING】
Date: December 12, Saturday
Venue: Mao Livehouse
Address: 111 Gulou E St, Dongcheng, Beijing, China
Time: 9pm
Tickets: 180 (Door) / 140 (Presale)
Presale Link: https://yoopay.cn/event/PerfumeGeniusBJ
* Pre-sales end on 12 noon, Dec. 12th, 2015
Tickets once sold cannot be refunded!
Links
Split Works Official Website：www.spli-t.com
Perfume Genius Official Website: http://perfumegenius.net/
Music Video for ‘Queen’: http://v.qq.com/page/h/0/u/h0014y19chu.html and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7OSSUwPVM4
The Guardian interview on the new album: http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/sep/19/perfume-genius-interview-sometimes-i-wanna-rip-everything-apart
Perfume Genius live on KEXP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aKrI_VNFuU
About Split Works:
Split Works has been rocking in the free (ish) world since 2006. Working with inspirational artists from across the globe, the good people at Split Works HQ have been a key contributor to the continued rise of China’s music scene.
Split Works has launched five music festivals and promoted over 400 tours to 30 Chinese cities, always striving to stay true to a familiar refrain: the music has to be special, every single time. From Godspeed You! Black Emperor to Sonic Youth, from Thee Oh Sees to Mac Demarco and Shabazz Palaces, from Black Rabbit to JUE and Wooozy to Echo Park and More Music. We love music, we love China and we love you.