Press release
Prolific avant-garde electronic duo ADULT. continue to mine their own unique sound on their triumphant and chilling new album, Perception is/as/of Deception. Conceived and recorded in a temporary blackhole they created by painting their windowless basement entirely black, the duo’s sole intention was to deprive their senses, question their perceptions, and witness the resulting ramifications. They perform in Chicago, at Empty Bottle, on June 12.
Today they’ve shared the album’s pulsating and forward thinking lead single with an accompanying video — “Why Always Why“. The track offers listeners a disorienting mutation of the heralded sounds of classic dance music, like a remix that escaped prison and is on the run.
ADULT. explain, “Why Always Why is a brief phrase taken from a line in Jean Cocteau’s film, ‘Testament of Orpheus’. From Cocteau’s view, the phrase may have represented a moment of self-analysis, but in our view it represented a moment of analysis of society and culture. The repeating theme of herd mentality. Dullness in consuming. A perception of how consuming may make everything alright. The sentiment here is a sentiment of the forever outsider. Of the person who feels as if they were dumped into some strange landscape, with no escape.”
About Adult.
With over 23 years and a sprawling discography, (including releases on MUTE, Ghostly International, Thrill Jockey, Third Man and more) ADULT.‘s Nicola Kuperus and Adam Lee Miller have spent their entire career obscuring any defined genre or style. With a history as uncanny as ADULT., the pieces that make up Perception is/as/of Deception might be perceived as their most punk-infused and introspective work to date. The elements of frustration and apprehension that have consistently woven throughout their material are at full mast, although augmented by a strident and more head-on approach.
Tracks like “Have I Started at the End” successfully maintain the duo’s classic EBM signatures and synthesized aggression, cradled by a suspicious mantra that questions …what’s the point? The album’s dystopian anthem, “Total Total Damage”, comes in full force with an frantic energy which jolts any bystanders to attention, with only the defiant chants of Kuperus’ vocals outlining the ever-degenerating state of societal affairs. The dramatically glam synth parts scattered throughout the album, while at times ominous in nature, seem to also act as a merciful reminder that through the journey of Perception is/as/of Deception, one can still enjoy the chaos.
ADULT. have announced an extensive North American tour with Body of Light in support of Perception is/as/of Deception and plan to tour Europe and UK in August, dates TBA. See below for a full list of dates. To pre-order the album and for further release information go here.
ADULT. TOUR 2020
05/01: Oberlin, OH – Dionysus Discotheque at Oberlin College
#05/02: Pittsburgh, PA – Spirit Hall
#05/04: Boston, MA – Great Scott
#05/05: Providence, RI – Columbus Theater
#05/07: Brooklyn, NY – Market Hotel
#05/08: Philadelphia, PA – Underground Arts
#05/09: Baltimore, MD – Metro Gallery
#05/10: Richmond, VA – Gallery 5
#05/11: Raleigh, NC – Kings #05/12: Atlanta, GA – The Earl
#05/14: Orlando, FL – Will’s Pub
#05/15: Tampa, FL – Crowbar #05/16: Miami, FL – Gramps
#05/19: New Orleans, LA – Gasa Gasa
#05/20: Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall
#05/21: San Antonio, TX – Paper Tiger
#05/22: Austin, TX – Barracuda
#05/23: Dallas, TX – Ruins
#05/25: Tucson, AZ – 191 Toole
#05/26: Phoenix, AZ – The Rebel Lounge
05/29: San Diego, CA – The Casbah
#05/30: Los Angeles, CA – Lodge Room
#05/31: San Francisco, CA – Rickshaw Stop
#06/03: Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge
06/04: Seattle, WA – Kremwerk
#06/05: Vancouver, BC – Astoria
#06/06: Spokane, WA – Lucky You
#06/08: Denver, CO – Moon Room
#06/10: Des Moines, IA – xBk
#06/11: Milwaukee, WI – Cactus Club
#06/12: Chicago, IL – Empty Bottle
#06/13: Detroit, MI – City Club #