Artist, freak, philosopher, socialite. This is how John Maus could be described. Although he has a PhD in political philosophy and a teaching position, he came to prominence in the music world more than twenty years ago. Then he started to collaborate and play with music freaks such as Ariel Pink and Animal Collective, before finally developing his own sound inspired by Nirvana, Syd Barrett, Jim Morrison and the strange sounds of the Renaissance and Baroque eras. Now, nostalgia and irony are central to his music, and a melancholic baritone reminiscent of Ian Curtis from Joy Division is interwoven with avant-garde, mysterious, synth-filled pop compositions.

Maus' biggest breakthrough, however, was 2011's We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves, which the snobbish music publication Pitchfork listed as one of the best albums of the year, scoring 8.4. Now considered a classic of experimental pop music, it paved the way for the American artist's success and established him in the world of eclectic music.

The live performances of this strange character are eccentric and spectacular. Some call them something like an exorcism, others call them a cathartic experience with moments of silence, wild screams, sweat, strange euphoria and a mild anxiety that forces you to look deeper into your emotions. As Maus himself says: "I try as hard as I can in my performances. If people can't see my face, my sweat droplets or my effort, who can blame them if they think I'm just some kind of mockery?" He is as far from traditional pop star status as can be imagined.

Mr Maus's lyrics are not easy. The American is provocative, touching on fear, society and highly controversial themes in his work with black humour and irony, for example in the songs "Cop Killer" or "Real Bad Job". His lyrical style is often combined with repetitive phrases and a forceful, almost monotone speaking style that creates a strong impression.

As a reviewer for Flood magazine writes: "If you haven't seen Maus' fury and pure energy on stage, I strongly recommend you do it at the first opportunity, before this singular, enigmatic artist finally exits the room and disappears out of earshot. "The BBC described him as a man with a serious belief in pop music who "<...> has a deep desire to explore our contemporary relationship with pop music and its impact on our philosophy and culture".

Maus is worth discovering if you like musical projects such as Bauhaus, Ariel Pink, Suicide, Dirty Beaches or Alex Cameron.

Open: 6.30pm

Music: 8pm