Ethel Cain’s ‘Perverts’ is a Sunless Pit of Disquieting Ambience

Content warning: pedophilia, self-harm

Blending fatalistic ambient music with eternally moody slowcore, Ethel Cain’s newest release is an evocative nightmare.

“Perverts,” released Jan. 8, is the second album from artist Hayden Anhedönia, under the moniker Ethel Cain. 

Cain originally found success with the haunting, Southern gothic-inspired concept album “Preacher’s Daughter” in 2022. The album’s cult following has been waiting impatiently for another project since. 

“Perverts,” however, is separate from the world and musical style built around its predecessor, as Cain cultivates a higher level of experimentalism within the project.

On the title track a whirring cassette tape converges with distorted vocals to generate an environment of brooding isolation. A lo-fi recording of Cain singing the Christian hymn “Nearer, my God, To Thee” fills space until the words disfigure and become unbalanced.

Cain is no stranger to the usage of religious imagery, as lyrics regarding sin and retribution drive the song’s atmosphere. Muted wind sounds and robotic, malevolent whispers dance around warped synth, but the focus remains on the lyrics.

“No one you know is a good person / Fast, reckless driving often leads to slow, sad music,” Cain says.

The project’s only single, “Punish” was released Nov. 1.

“‘Punish’ is about a pedophile who was shot by the child’s father and now lives in exile where he physically maims himself to simulate the bullet wound in order to punish himself,” Cain wrote on Tumblr about the song.

The morbid theme is complemented by dark noise and unrefined lyrics that singe and burn. 

A creaky swing set and lo-fi piano hide behind Cain’s breathy vocals before they become engulfed by a barricade of raw, stinging guitar.

“I am punished by love / In the morning, I will mar myself again,” Cain sings.

Ambient sounds take over “Housofpsychoticwomn.” The track hosts a deep, muffled voice confiding in someone and a violent swirling noise similar to a dog barking. As Cain repeats the words “I love you,” the noises change pitch, as bells ring softly like a kiss on the forehead. 

The song resembles a chaotic dream that miraculously remains cohesive.

“Vacillator” is an ode to those who feel hesitant in romantic relationships. Slow drumming accompanies echoing vocals and soft, sweet hums. The lyrics cover themes of idolized affection, intense arousal and ultimately rejection. The song is a profound display of emotion — the lyrics beg to be heard and felt. 

“If you love me / Keep it to yourself,” Cain sings. 

“Onanist,” a word derived from the biblical character Onan, refers to masturbation — and the song seemingly replicates the action. The track utilizes a simplistic piano melody and muffled echoes akin to moans, while Cain’s sultry lows and airy highs symbolize blissfulness.

“There, I found me in a long, long wood / Astray, midway of mortal life / Witness to such agony,” Cain sings. 

Blocks of static bass consume Cain’s voice and high-pitched acoustics break through the noise to simulate a climax. A sudden wave of white noise breaks down suddenly as Cain repeatedly says “It feels good.”

“Pulldrone” is the longest track on the project, spanning over 15 minutes. Drone dominates the song, waning in and out from lower to higher frequencies.

The track is less of a song and more of an auditory experience, as it teleports from spiritualism to existentialism, accompanied by macabre imagery. While it falls far from the structure of other tracks, Cain easily finds her stride in the new territory — one focusing solely on storytelling. 

“Four, assimilation / Lo, wellspring of knowledge, of feeling, of sensation / Beauty, overwhelming / I will dislocate my jaw to fit it all in,” Cain says.

“Etienne” and “Thatorchia” are purely instrumental, with the former showcasing bright, hopeful acoustic guitar and the latter an ominous concoction of brown noise and breathy vocalizations. 

The project comes to a close with “Amber Waves,” one of the two demos Cain released, alongside “Punish.” 

A ballad about an addict who abandoned their lover for drugs, “Amber Waves” is slow and beautiful. With each line comes a new gut punch that lingers in the listener’s stomach. 

The story pulls and tugs, as the misery-soaked narrator gradually fades away. 

“Perverts” is an artistic auditory experience unlike any found on the charts. It shows an abundance of lyrics isn’t necessary for expressing emotion.

Listen to “Perverts” on all major streaming platforms.