WHAT a beautiful song. Initially delicate and restrained, this hymn by Perfume Genius alternates between quiet solitude and explosions of euphoric sparkles. Listen now, of course, and then open this back up on Sunday– ‘Otherside’ is Perfume Genius’s version of church. The story is this: growing up Catholic, he internalized that he’d be on his way to hell for being gay, so church never really felt like it was for him. He says he’s done a lot of personal work to overcome that idea, and the lyrics to this song are the sayings that he’s turned to as his own version of religion. Recording ‘Otherside’, they even set the studio up like a church, with Mike at the front, and everyone else in rows facing him; every last person sang. You can sing too– but I understand if you just tear up instead.
