Perverts

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Perverts
EP artwork
General Information
Title	Perverts
Written	2021 • early 2023—October 2024
Recorded	Early 2023—October 2024
Released	January 8, 2025
Genre	Drone • Dark ambient • Slowcore
Length	89:29 • 9 Tracks
Format	Digital download • Streaming
Credits
Artist	Ethel Cain
Writer(s)	Hayden Anhedönia
Producer(s)	Hayden Anhedönia
Label	Daughters of Cain (via AWAL)
Singles
“Punish” Released: November 1, 2024
Ethel Cain Chronology
Shelved
2025
2025

To see alternate articles, check out Perverts (song) or Perverts Meditation.

Perverts is the fourth extended play (EP) by Hayden Anhedönia under her current stage name Ethel Cain. It was released on January 8, 2025, under her imprint label of AWAL, Daughters of Cain.

Perverts was preceded by the release of it's lead single, "Punish," on November 1, 2024. The EP marks a departure from Anhedönia's previous sound as heard on her earlier releases, drawing from drone, slowcore, and dark ambient influences. The project emerged from Anhedönia's long-standing interest in ambient music. Lyrically, Perverts explores ways of perversion.

Background

Prior to the conception of Perverts, Anhedönia had expressed an interest in recording an ambient project. In 2020, she tweeted that she was sampling audio for an unspecified ambient project. That same year, she began releasing music under the alias אשמדאי, including the tracks "Housofpsychoticwomn" and "Matriach1," with the former later being reworked for the Perverts EP. Several additional demos were uploaded to a playlist titled 000000000, which featured early versions of tracks that would eventually appear on Perverts. In 2023, she reiterated her interest in ambient music in interviews, stating, "I have a huge affinity for slowcore and ambient music [...] I feel a bit more confident doing that and less worried about what people will think." Recording for the project began in that same year.

Development

“Perverts wouldn’t exist without Bruce Mansfield and neither would the person I am today. Happy 1 year anniversary to me and my giant concrete boyfriend”

—Anhedönia via Instagram.

Image of the Bruce Mansfield plant in Shippingport, PA photographed by Hayden Anhedönia

In early 2023, Anhedönia began recording material that would eventually form her EP Perverts, citing a visit to Bruce Mansfield and the track "Willoughby's Theme" as initial sources of inspiration. The earliest explicit mention of Perverts came in March 2024, when she uploaded the ambient track "009," stating that she was considering it for her next project—later confirmed to be the EP. In April 2024, during a livestream, Anhedönia expressed her desire to explore ambient recording music.

Initially titled Childish Behavior, the EP was originally conceived as a case study on different types of "perverts," including a sex addict, a pedophile, an arsonist, and a sedative addict. However, Anhedönia later scrapped much of the original material and redrafted the concept. The final title, Perverts, emerged from what she described as a "reactive side," particularly in response to public perception. She initially chose the provocative title to spark discourse following her previous release, building a concept later around the shame she experienced in adolescence as projected onto her by others. In regards to the project's themes, Anhedönia stated: "all drone music for me is part erotic, part meditative. it's deeply indulgent and euphoric for me, in different ways for different tracks." She also stated the Perverts as a project was about "inward reflection and personal experience." Anhedönia continued working on the project throughout 2024; she wrote, produced, and recorded it between Coraopolis, PA and Tallahassee, FL. By October 2024, Perverts was believed to be complete; however, just before the tracks were sent for mastering by Dale Becker, Anhedönia recorded a new song, "013." As a result, she chose to replace the track "Wellwater" with the finalized version of "013," "Thatorchia," in the EP's tracklist. On her אשמדאי SoundCloud account, Anhedönia posted an "ASMR" clip in which she reviewed the draft tracklist.

Gallery

Images or videos related to the development or background of 'Perverts'

February 12, 2023.

February 12, 2023.

Unknown date.

Unknown date.

Release and Promotion

In the summer of 2024, Anhedönia released limited-edition pop-up merchandise in New York City, including posters bearing the title Perverts, hinting at the then-upcoming project. During this time, she also performed the tracks "Punish" and “Amber Waves" live on The Childish Behavior Tour, the latter she had previously released a snippet of on Instagram. In July, Anhedönia confirmed that her next project would not be related to the Ethel Cain Cinematic Universe. On September 30, 2024, Anhedönia cleared her Instagram account and changed her profile picture to mark the beginning of a rollout for the EP. She began teasing music by posting grainy black-and-white photos, each captioned with phrases referencing the 12 Pillars of Simulacrum: "apathy II disruption III curiosity IV assimilation V aggrandization VI delineation VII perversion VIII resentment IX separation X degradation XI annihilation XII desolation." The 12 Pillars of Simulacrum were partially inspired by Jean Baudrillard's Simulacra and Simulation and Anhedönia's own spiritual and philosophical framework, which she refers to as "The Ring, the Great Dark, and Proximity to God," explained in a YouTube video. Prior to Perverts' release, Anhedönia teased the themes of the project by sharing a short story titled "The Consequence of Audience" via HommeGirls magazine.

The release of Perverts was officially announced on Anhedönia's Instagram account on October 14, 2024. It's lead single, "Punish," was released on November 1, 2024, alongside an accompanying music video. Perverts was released on January 8, 2025, and a music video for the track, "Vacillator," premiered on the same date. On January 10, 2025, Anhedönia started a three-part weekly radio series on NTS Radio, where she provided commentary on Perverts. As part of the radio, a 55-minute spoken word piece titled "Perverts Meditation" was aired in honor the the EP.

Reception

Commercial Performance

Charts

Chart performance for Perverts

Chart (2025)	Peak position	Ref.
UKDigital	24

Artwork

Visuals for Perverts were conducted in 2024, shot by both Marlee Kula and Silken Weinberg and edited by Anhedönia. The visuals for the EP were used in promotional Instagram posts in refernce to the 12 Pillars of Simulacrum. While describing the colors she associates with Perverts, Anhedönia stated: "black and gray with a hint of sick sepia." When describing the weather pattern, she said simply: "fog." Anhedönia also drew visual inspiration for Perverts using Pinterest, notably citing the manga Blame! as influence.

Official artwork for 'Perverts'

Cover

EP tracklist

Shoot and Visuals (2024) by Marlee Kula and Silken Weinberg

See Also: "Punish": Music Video, "Vacillator": Music Video

• Editor — Hayden Anhedönia

• Look 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• Other

"Wellwater" cover

Alternate edit

Video

"Punish" cover

"Punish" alternative cover

Alternate edit

Video

Alternate edit.

Tracklist

Perverts — Trackist
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	Perverts	Hayden Anhedönia, Sarah Flower Adams, Lowell Mason	Anhedönia	12:04
2.	Punish	Anhedönia	Anhedönia	6:40
3.	Housofpsychoticwomn	Anhedönia	Anhedönia	13:35
4.	Vacillator	Anhedönia	Anhedönia	7:44
5.	Onanist	Anhedönia	Anhedönia	6:24
6.	Pulldrone	Anhedönia	Anhedönia	15:14
7.	Etienne	Anhedönia	Anhedönia	8:43
8.	Thatorchia	Anhedönia	Anhedönia	7:24
9.	Amber Waves	Anhedönia	Anhedönia	11:32
Total length:				89:29

Scrapped Tracklist

Originally, the song "Wellwater" was intended to be the seventh track on the record. However, Anhedönia ultimately replaced it with "Thatorchia," feeling that the latter needed to be included on the album.

Perverts — Scrapped Tracklist
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	Perverts	Hayden Anhedönia, Sarah Flower Adams, Lowell Mason	Anhedönia	12:04
2.	Punish	Anhedönia	Anhedönia	6:40
3.	Housofpsychoticwomn	Anhedönia	Anhedönia	13:35
4.	Vacillator	Anhedönia	Anhedönia	7:44
5.	Onanist	Anhedönia	Anhedönia	6:24
6.	Pulldrone	Anhedönia	Anhedönia	15:14
7.	Wellwater	Anhedönia	Anhedönia	6:35
8.	Etienne	Anhedönia	Anhedönia	8:43
9.	Amber Waves	Anhedönia	Anhedönia	11:32
Total length:				88:33

Outtakes

• 009 Available — Released on SoundCloud under the אשמדאי alias, as apart of the 000000000 playlist. Confirmed by Hayden when posting that it was intended for her then-upcoming project, now known to be Perverts.
• Kudzu Available — Song released as "011" on SoundCloud under the אשמדאי alias, as apart of the 000000000 playlist. Described as a scrapped 'sister song' to "Vacillator."
• Make Room In Hell Available — Posted in 2025 on SoundCloud and tumblr.
• Wellwater Available — Demo posted in 2023 on SoundCloud (under the אשמדאי alias as part of the 000000000 playlist) and tumblr.
• ??? Unavailable — Tracks made for the original concept of the EP.

Sessions

During the sessions of Perverts, these songs were produced and recorded, but it is unclear whether they were intended to be included on the EP.

• 001 Available — Released on SoundCloud under the אשמדאי alias, as apart of the 000000000 playlist.
• 002 Available — Released on SoundCloud under the אשמדאי alias, as apart of the 000000000 playlist.
• 003 Available — Released on SoundCloud under the אשמדאי alias, as apart of the 000000000 playlist.
• 004 Available — Released on SoundCloud under the אשמדאי alias, as apart of the 000000000 playlist.
• 005 Available — Released on SoundCloud under the אשמדאי alias, as apart of the 000000000 playlist.
• 007 Available — Released on SoundCloud under the אשמדאי alias, as apart of the 000000000 playlist.
• 008 Available — Released on SoundCloud under the אשמדאי alias, asapart of the 000000000 playlist.
• 010 Available — Released on SoundCloud under the אשמדאי alias, as apart of the 000000000 playlist.
• 012 Available — Released on SoundCloud under the אשמדאי alias, as apart of the 000000000 playlist.
• Come Up Available
• ??? Rumored — Rumored collaboration with Wulven.

Personnel

Credits

• Ethel Cain — songwriting (all tracks), production (all tracks), vocals (all tracks), mixing (all tracks), recording engineer (track 2), piano (track 7), hurdy gurdy (track 6)
• Angel Diaz — lap steel guitar (track 2, 9), upright bass (track 5), electric piano (track 9)
• Bryan DeLeon — acoustic guitar (track 7)
• Dale Becker — mastering (all tracks)
• Madeline Johnston — guitar (track 9)
• Matthew Tomasi — drums (track 4), boom effect (track 9)

Publishing

• Where Da Kasz At? — publisher
• Daughters of Cain (via AWAL) — publisher, copyright

Footnotes

• ^{^[a]} Some sources refer to Perverts as an album, project, or body of work, although Hayden herself refers to this project as an EP; the length of the extended play does not meet the standard length for an EP, which may be why some sources consider it an album.
• ^{^[b]} "Perverts" contains an interpolation of "Nearer, My God, to Thee", written by Sarah Flower Adams and Lowell Mason.