John Maus | Artist

John Maus is an American musician, composer, singer, and songwriter born 1980 in Austin, Minnesota. Maus is known for his baritone singing style and his use of vintage synthesizer sounds and Medieval church modes, a combination that often draws comparisons to 1980s goth-pop. His early lo-fi recordings anticipated and inspired the late 2000s hypnagogic pop movement. In 1998, he left his hometown to study experimental music at the California Institute of the Arts, where he befriended and worked alongside classmate Ariel Pink. He would later become one of the foundation members of Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, as keyboardist, over the period 2005-06. Maus produced most of the music from his first two albums Songs (2006) and Love is Real (2007) on cassette tape with an early 1990s MIDI. The albums drew negative reviews upon release, and it was not until the success of his third, We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves (2011), that he became more widely accepted as an outsider artist. Following a half-decade absence from public appearances and releasing new music, he returned in 2017 with the album Screen Memories, then Addendum (2018). Excluding two earlier CD-R Demos, Maus has to-date released six studio albums and numerous Singles. Standout albums include Songs, Love is Real, We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves, and A Collection of Rarities and Previously Unreleased Material. The self-titled compilation album from 2018 is also highly recommended. On stage, Maus is known for his erratic stage behaviour, characterized by intense displays of emotion while performing. Maus, the artist, infuses his music and lyrics with his philosophical thoughts and writings. He was also a former teacher of philosophy at the Universe of Hawaii, where he later earned his PhD in political science. He now lives in Hawaii.

Artist Website: johnma.us

Featured Albums: John Maus

Related Artists: Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti

Video Clips: Believer, Live in Berlin, Streetlight