No Shape

No Shape is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Perfume Genius, released on May 5, 2017, through Matador Records as the follow-up to Too Bright (2014).[2]

No Shape
Studio album by
Perfume Genius
ReleasedMay 5, 2017 (2017-05-05)
RecordedOctober–December 2016
Studio
  • Zeitgeist
  • Boulevard
  • Desirée Ind.
  • (Los Angeles, CA)
GenreExperimental pop[1]
Length43:14
LabelMatador
ProducerBlake Mills
Perfume Genius chronology
Too Bright
(2014)		 No Shape
(2017)		 Set My Heart on Fire Immediately
(2020)
Singles from No Shape
  1. "Slip Away"
    Released: March 21, 2017
  2. "Go Ahead"
    Released: April 19, 2017

Background

Hadreas was featured on the cover of the March–April 2017 issue of The Fader, which included a lengthy feature on Hadreas and his work on the next album.[3] In the weeks following the article, Hadreas posted a number of video and audio clips teasing new music. On March 21, 2017 Hadreas announced his fourth studio album No Shape and released the first single "Slip Away", which was accompanied by a music video directed by frequent Björk collaborator Andrew Thomas Huang.[4] The single was designated "Best New Track" by Pitchfork.[5] On April 19, Hadreas released another single from the album called "Go Ahead" during a live Twitter Q&A with fans. On May 9, 2017 Perfume Genius released the video for "Die 4 You", directed by Floria Sigismondi.

Reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?8.1/10[6]
Metacritic84/100[7]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[8]
The A.V. ClubB+[9]
The Guardian[10]
The Irish Times[11]
Mojo[12]
The Observer[13]
Pitchfork8.8/10[14]
Q[15]
Rolling Stone[16]
ViceA−[17]

Accolades
Publication Accolade Rank Ref.
The Independent The 30 best albums of 2017
4
[18]
NME NME's Albums of the Year 2017
24
[19]
NPR The 50 Best Albums of 2017
6
[20]
Pitchfork The 50 Best Albums of 2017
16
[21]
Pitchfork The 200 Best Albums of the 2010s
70
[22]
Stereogum The 50 Best Albums of 2017
4
[23]
Uncut Albums of the Year
70
[24]
Vinyl Me, Please The 30 Best Albums of 2017
16
[25]

The album received a Grammy Award nomination for “Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical” at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards.[26] Additionally, it was noted as one of the works designated under producer Blake Mills’ nomination for “Producer of the Year, Non-Classical.”

Track listing

All tracks are written by Mike Hadreas, except where noted

No.TitleLength
1."Otherside"2:40
2."Slip Away"2:45
3."Just Like Love"3:14
4."Go Ahead" (Hadreas, Blake Mills)2:53
5."Valley"3:09
6."Wreath"4:26
7."Every Night"2:47
8."Choir"2:28
9."Die 4 You" (Hadreas, Mills)3:32
10."Sides" (featuring Weyes Blood) (Hadreas, Mills, Natalie Mering)4:52
11."Braid"2:58
12."Run Me Through"4:44
13."Alan"2:46
Total length:43:14

Personnel

Performance

  • Mike Hadreas – vocals (all tracks), piano (1, 7), synthesizer (3, 8, 12), Wurlitzer (9, 11), trumpet noises (9), congregation vocals (1)
  • Blake Mills – piano (1, 2, 5, 6, 11, 12), synthesizer (1-4, 6, 7, 9, 12, 13), vocals (1, 6), marimba (2), guitars (2–6, 9, 10, 12), drums (2–4, 9, 10), percussion (2–4, 6, 9), tablas (3), bass (3–6, 10), baritone guitar (3), Marxophone (3), programming (4, 6), Mellotron (5), guitarron (7, 9, 12), organ (10, 11), kora (11), celeste (12), Omnichord (12), woodwinds (12), congregation vocals (1)
  • Stuart Johnson – drums (2), percussion (2, 4), cymbals (3, 9),
  • Rob Moose – violin (3–5, 7–10), viola (3–5, 7, 9, 10), string arrangements (3–5, 7, 9, 10)
  • Alan Wyffels – backing vocals (6), synthesizer (7, 10), vocals (9, 13), Rhodes piano (12), piano (13)
  • Natalie Mering – vocals (10, 11)
  • Pino Palladino – bass (12)
  • Chris Dave – drums (12), percussion (12)
  • Shawn Everett – synthesizer (13)
  • Joseph Lorge – congregation vocals (1)
  • Clay Blair – congregation vocals (1)
  • Becca Luce – congregation vocals (1)
  • Chris Doerr – congregation vocals (1)

Production

  • Blake Mills – production
  • Shawn Everett – engineering, mixing
  • Joseph Lorge – engineering
  • Clay Blair – studio assistance
  • Omar Yakar – studio assistance
  • Brendan Dekora – studio assistance
  • Patricia Sullivan – mastering
  • Inez and Vinoodh – artwork
  • Mike Zimmerman – design


Charts
Chart (2017) Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[27] 30
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[28] 116
Irish Albums (IRMA)[29] 90
New Zealand Heatseekers Albums (RMNZ)[30] 9
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[31] 40
Scottish Albums (OCC)[32] 80
UK Albums (OCC)[33] 96
US Billboard 200[34] 185

References
  1. Roberts, Randall (May 18, 2017). "What to Listen to Now". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 4, 2022. An expertly crafted experimental pop album that at various points suggests the work of singer Kate Bush, the effects-drenched work of the Cocteau Twins and British art-rock band Talk Talk...
  2. Geslani, Michelle (March 21, 2017). "Perfume Genius details new album, No Shape, shares video for 'Slip Away'". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  3. "How Perfume Genius Grew Up And Started Thriving". thefader.com. Retrieved 2017-02-21.
  4. "Perfume Genius Announces New Album No Shape, Shares Video for New Song "Slip Away": Watch | Pitchfork". pitchfork.com. 21 March 2017. Retrieved 2017-03-21.
  5. "Best New Track "Slip Away"". pitchfork.com. Retrieved 2017-03-21.
  6. "No Shape by Perfume Genius reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
  7. "Reviews and Tracks for No Shape by Perfume Genius". Metacritic. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
  8. Phares, Heather. "No Shape – Perfume Genius". AllMusic. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
  9. Vishnevetsky, Ignatiy (May 5, 2017). "Perfume Genius goes on an art-pop adventure in search of his feminine side". The A.V. Club. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
  10. Petridis, Alexis (May 4, 2017). "Perfume Genius: No Shape review – confident and melodic, with a rich seam of strange". The Guardian. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
  11. Clayton-Lea, Tony (May 4, 2017). "Perfume Genius: No Shape – dazzling, self-healing alt.pop from Mike Hadreas". The Irish Times. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
  12. Aston, Martin (June 2017). "Perfume Genius: No Shape". Mojo (283): 92.
  13. Empire, Kitty (May 7, 2017). "Perfume Genius: No Shape review – scents and a new sensibility". The Observer. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
  14. Snapes, Laura (May 5, 2017). "Perfume Genius: No Shape". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
  15. Segal, Victoria (July 2017). "Perfume Genius: No Shape". Q (373): 112.
  16. Hermes, Will (May 5, 2017). "Review: Perfume Genius' Goth-Glam Gets Optimistic on 'No Shape'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
  17. Christgau, Robert (June 2, 2018). "Robert Christgau on the Bold Pop of Janelle Monáe and Perfume Genius". Vice. Retrieved June 2, 2018.
  18. "The 30 Best Albums of 2017". The Independent. November 28, 2017. Archived from the original on 2022-06-21. Retrieved November 28, 2017.
  19. "NME's Albums of the Year 2017". NME. November 23, 2017. Retrieved November 28, 2017.
  20. "The 50 Best Albums of 2017". NPR. December 12, 2017. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
  21. "The 50 Best Albums of 2017". Pitchfork. December 12, 2017. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
  22. "The 200 Best Albums of the 2010s". Pitchfork. October 8, 2019. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
  23. Stereogum Staff (December 5, 2017). "The 50 Best Albums of 2017". Stereogum. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
  24. "Uncut's 75 Best Albums of 2017". Uncut. November 21, 2017. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
  25. "The 30 Best Albums of 2017". Vinyl Me, Please. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
  26. "60th Annual GRAMMY Awards". 22 May 2018.
  27. "Ultratop.be – Perfume Genius – No Shape" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  28. "Ultratop.be – Perfume Genius – No Shape" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 20, 2017.
  29. "Irish Albums Chart: 12 May 2017". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  30. "NZ Heatseekers Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. May 15, 2017. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  31. "Portuguesecharts.com – Perfume Genius – No Shape". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
  32. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  33. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  34. "Perfume Genius Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
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