It’s January 1993. Bill Clinton’s first term as U.S. president has just begun, and Nirvana’s In Utero is mere months away from cementing grunge’s dominance. Yet, not every band was riding the Seattle sound wave. Over in the UK, Jesus Jones, who had made a name with the single “Right Here, Right Now,” were embarking on an entirely different musical path with their album Perverse.
Let’s rewind to that period when music was in flux. For every distorted riff that grunge birthed, there was an electronic pulse keeping the underground alive. Jesus Jones stood at that intersection, blending digital textures with rock energy, but by 1993, the tides had shifted, and their once innovative sound felt suddenly out of step. Nirvana’s shadow loomed large, and bands like Jesus Jones, fusing techno with rock, became increasingly sidelined.
Still, Perverse wasn’t just another rock album—it was something altogether different. Jesus Jones was experimenting, pushing into digital frontiers, when the very idea of recording an album entirely on a computer was both novel and unheard of. Using early digital technology, including Roland samplers, floppy disks, and digital synth guitars, Perverse became one of the first rock albums to be wholly computer-based. While the world wasn’t quite ready to embrace it, looking back now, the album’s ambition and forward-thinking approach stand out as a precursor to the electronic-rock crossover that would become more mainstream in the late ’90s.
From Doubt to Perverse
Jesus Jones first broke onto the scene with their 1989 debut Liquidizer, but it was their second album, Doubt (1991), that thrust them into the spotlight. Powered by the infectious anthem “Right Here, Right Now,” Doubt felt like a moment of convergence, a rock band seamlessly incorporating the pulse of dance and electronic music. Their sound embodied the transition of the early ‘90s: guitars mixed with samplers, rock spliced with rave culture.
Fast forward to 1993, and Jesus Jones had built a solid reputation. But by then, the world had already begun to pivot toward the raw, stripped-down sound of grunge. Nonetheless, the band pushed forward with Perverse, fully leaning into a digital aesthetic that aimed to marry rock energy with techno beats. Lead singer and songwriter Mike Edwards envisioned a futuristic sound—a “digital rock” album—capturing the chaos and excitement of electronic music while staying true to their alternative roots.
The Perverse Experience
Listening to Perverse is like stepping into a time capsule of digital experimentation long before laptops and software replaced studios. This was a band translating guitar riffs into binary code, sequencing bass lines on samplers, and playing drum sounds that weren’t even from drums. Yet, the album’s strange alchemy works. Tracks like “The Devil You Know” pack the punch of a rock anthem, but instead of crunchy guitars, you’re hit with the buzz of synths and driving beats. The layered vocals, the hard panning of sounds, and the aggressive use of effects give Perverse an intensity that feels alive, even though it’s built from digital components.
One of the standout moments on the album is “Yellow Brown,” an atmospheric and dark exploration that shows the band stretching their sound. It veers into industrial territory, reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails, but with a techno twist. On the flip side, songs like “Magazine” deliver short bursts of catchy, high-energy techno-rock. Then there’s “Spiral,” which pushes straight into techno territory, a clear sign of Edwards’ love for rave culture.
Perverse wasn’t trying to be grunge. It wasn’t aiming for the straightforward simplicity of guitar rock. Instead, it asked a question: what if rock music could be entirely digital? At the time, many listeners didn’t know what to make of it, and the album didn’t achieve the commercial success of its predecessor. But 30 years on, it feels prophetic. In the way that U2’s Pop or Radiohead’s Kid A would later embrace the merging of rock and electronics, Jesus Jones had already laid down the blueprint.
Looking Back, Moving Forward
So why didn’t Perverse become the defining album of the early ‘90s? Timing. The same month Perverse hit the shelves, alternative radio stations were still looping Nirvana’s Nevermind. Grunge’s rise made albums like Perverse seem like a relic of a time already passed. It wasn’t fair, but it’s often how musical trends work. What was futuristic to one group of listeners felt out of sync for another.
However, for those who discovered it, Perverse remains a fascinating experiment. A rock album recorded on floppy disks and Roland samplers, with a sound that bridged the gap between alternative rock and rave culture, anticipated a future where digital and analog worlds would collide in music. If you revisit it now, you’ll hear echoes of what was to come in the late ‘90s with bands like The Prodigy or even later electronic-infused rock acts.
In 2024, Perverse sounds remarkably fresh. Its blend of electronic beats and rock structures, once jarring, now feels like a precursor to the genre-blending era we live in today. For fans of electronic music and rock alike, the album is worth a second listen. It offers a snapshot of a band daring to push beyond the boundaries of what rock could be in 1993, carving out a unique space that few others dared to explore.
So, take a journey back to that time when floppy disks held your music files and synthesizers collided with guitar riffs. Perverse may not have ruled the charts, but it predicted a world where digital would become the new rock ‘n’ roll.
Songs in this Episode
Intro - Zeroes and Ones
24:43 - Spiral
27:49 - The Devil You Know
41:09 - Yellow Brown
Outro - Magazine
Make Your Voice Heard!
In our quest to explore the depths of 90s Rock, we rely on you, our listeners. Your suggestions drive our show – be it an underrated classic or a forgotten gem. By joining our DMO Union on Patreon, you help us stay independent and ad-free and gain the power to vote on and choose the albums we dive into each year. Together, let's unearth the treasures of 90s Rock, one listener-powered episode at a time.
Jesus Jones - Perverse | 90s Rock Revisited