Ethel Cain is an indie artist who amassed a sizable cult following after the release of “Preacher’s Daughter,” an extensive and highly praised album with a rich storyline, haunting ambience and unique emotions captured through her voice and production. In turn, fans eagerly anticipated the release of her next album, “Perverts,” which came out on Jan. 8.

The album was promoted on Cain’s various social media platforms, with a repeated phrase: “It’s happening to everybody.” This ominous statement excited fans for her next release, accompanied by video teasers that were dark, unsettling and edited with a rustic look, consistent with many of Cain’s videos. 

“Punish” is a slow track with Cain’s drawn-out, crooning voice, lamenting her sorrows in vague allusions to Lucifer being kicked out of heaven. Released as a single in October 2024, it has become one of the most popular tracks on “Perverts.” Cain’s vocals shine brightest in this section, delivering a vocal performance that is nothing short of heavenly, making this track a wonderful listening experience.

“Onanist” is a track with an emphasis on ambience, and relies less on lyrics, as with many of the songs on “Perverts.” However, this is actually one of the few tracks with considerably clear lyrics. The song portrays an experience of letting oneself go, evoking a sense of self gratification, framed in the context of Biblical “sexual sin.”  

Yet, as with many of Ethel’s tracks, the song’s vagueness allows listeners to interpret it in their own way. The song has a light, dreamy sound for the first half, but the instrumental sounds more haunting and ominous with droning in the background as the vocal delivery of the lyrics evolve into a slow chant. 

Overall, it’s a really fitting track for depicting someone’s numbness to excessive pleasure after the initial positive stages of it, and Cain delivers an excellent vocal performance with captivating production, making this a song with a unique ambience.

“Amber Waves” is one of the more praised songs on the album after “Punish,” with a slow guitar and light, harmonious vocals from Ethel. There is an absence of the droning sound that is present on most tracks. As the final track on the album, the imagined central character in the album’s storyline has succumbed to chasing pleasure. The lyrics seem to allude to addiction, with the song ending with the lyrics: “I can’t feel anything.” 

“Vacillator” is an ambience-centered track with a darker sound. As the title suggests, it tells the story of an indecisive lover wavering between how they feel about their relationship. The song is reminiscent of a slow, relaxed day but gradually shifts from this mood. 

Towards the halfway point, the background introduces an unsettling combination of sounds, contrasting with the earlier ambiance to create a sense of unease. Then the instrumental abruptly resets back to sound calm again, reflecting the theme of  indecision through its production. The guitar and percussion is fitting, letting the song progress at a perfect pace.

 The other tracks on the album are mostly ambient, with few lyrics involved. This unexpectedly threw some fans and critics off in its reception. The genres of most of the songs are dark ambience and drone, which involve specific sounds similar to the humming of a porch light outside. Other sounds include a variety of distortion synths, adding to the unsettling vibe of “Perverts.” 

Overall, the album received a lot of mixed criticism, with fans arguing amongst themselves over whether it was a good release or not. Much of Cain’s devoted fanbase praised the songs on the album, with the sentiment that it just wasn’t for everyone, and “if you got it, you got it.” 

Others in her fanbase maintained a more critical eye, viewing this installment in Cain’s discography as her weakest album. Regardless of this verdict, many appreciated Cain’s artistry and willingness to step far outside the mainstream even after performing at large events in 2024.

Some listeners expressed that “Preacher’s Daughter” was overall a more appealing listen, with some saying they liked listening to “Perverts” but felt it lacked replayability. Others simply claimed that they wanted more lyrics in the songs, rather than primarily instrumentals for over six minutes, as none of the songs in “Perverts” were below that number. 

Some already enjoyed the style of music similar to what was in “Perverts,” so they genuinely enjoyed the album. Others only enjoyed a select few songs, with “Punish” being a favorite, slightly more reminiscent of a release that would be on “Preacher’s Daughter.” 

Despite mixed opinions, this album portrays interesting topics in an abstract format- such as the concepts of sin, hedonism, numbness, psychosis and other human struggles and flaws. Cain creates an incredibly immersive atmosphere through her signature production skills. This album will either be comforting or haunting, depending on the environment of the listener. To other listeners, the album may be completely unbearable. 

Verdict: “Perverts” is an album far outside the norm, primarily composed of lengthy, lyric-less tracks that are fitting for a niche horror movie. However, the strength of this release is something that is debatable; it seems that Cain is making songs for the sake of her personal art, instead of her current audience.



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