verybody deals with trouble in different ways. Some like to chat about their problems, others prefer to keep quiet, whilst other focus outwards their energy outwards on the world, either positively or negatively. Mike Hadreas has dealt with his strife by making an album. Under the name Perfume Genius, he’s taken on his own kind of therapy whilst committing to record some of the year’s most touching and involving songs.

The tragedies are many, counterbalanced only by the undeniable beauty of Mike’s work. Mister Peterson is the most obvious example – a chronicle of an older man that ‘let me smoke weed at his truck’ and ‘made me a tape of Joy Division’ who, later would jump off a building. Channelled through his fragile, crystalline voice, it’s a poignant, earnest ode to a friendship lost, almost crushing in its honesty. The same theme is one that runs through the album, remaining harrowing and frank, but never being less than utterly enthralling.

A lot of the album’s success has to be given to the production of the record. The demos were arresting thanks to their stripped back voice and piano simplicity, feeling like the unearthing of a prodigy and stumbling across a confessional in equal measure. There surely must’ve been a temptation to go fully orchestral, but to have done so would’ve robbed Learning of the majestic isolation that it inhabits. As it is, the fragile nature of the lyrics is mirrored throughout the record, with only the deftest of alterations made to the original composition of the tracks.

It’s almost impossible to imagine the amount of emotional energy that must’ve gone into make these ten tracks as it can be an exhausting listen, in the best possible way.  The chances of hearing this at a club night or on an advert are slim to none, and though the slender 30 minute play time may hint at pop, this is a collection of stark, subtle entries. Already, it is easy to tell that this has all the hallmarks of a timeless piece, and for the sake of Perfume Genius’ health, we can only hope that he is unable to follow this up with another album just as heartfelt and traumatic.  But for Mike Hadreas, this has always been about more than the music itself.