Set My Heart On Fire Immediately by Perfume Genius

My Heart For This Genius

As far as my experience goes, Perfume Genius is the most fabulous queer voice and the most fabulously queer voice in music. Not that I've been looking very hard for that specifically, but ever since first hearing the work of Mike Hadreas some eight years ago, I have continually and increasingly been awestruck by his ability to express himself. Mike mines a vein that marries orchestral pop and brooding rock with the undeniably queer in ways that unsettle and endear.

Set My Heart On Fire Immediately is his latest astounding work. I find my body dancing, and my heart aching alongside Perfume Genius...Immediately. Like all of his work: darkly foreboding, awkwardly beautiful, ecstatically hopeful, self-compromisingly honest. Just more so.

Perfume Genius's 2017 album, No Shape, featured one of my favorite singles and music videos: the bombastic "Slip Away." Set My Heart On Fire Immediately benefits from Mike's explorations into dance and choreography, as demonstrated in his music videos for "On the Floor" and "Describe."

Mike Hadreas: I love him. I mean...Not in a gay way. He's got what I want.

(That's a reference to "Nothing at All," clearly you're behind. Please listen to that song now.)