- black midi is an experimental rock band and yet another product of the creative explosion which appears to be taking place in London at the moment. They began garnering attention after a live, collaborative jam session was released featuring them and Damo Suzuki the vocalist of legendary krautrock band Can. Their talent was already visible, but eyebrows were raised when Suzuki revealed he had approached the then-18-year-olds after recognising their taste and ability.
The band has now put out their first studio album, Schlagenheim, which was feverishly pieced together through relentless jam sessions, noticeably including parts of the aforementioned live recording. The result is a disjointed yet glorious hodgepodge of ideas which is anti-conformist and aggressively chaotic to a point which will immediately alienate some listeners. The band’s unconventional time signatures are reminiscent of This Heat, while their abrasiveness screams Japanese noise rock outfit Boredoms and their grimy soundscapes recall post-punk band Women.
The album’s opening track 953 comes crashing in with repetitive, screeching and offbeat guitars. From there it effortlessly drifts in and out of noisy, shredding passages with crashing pianos and then more restrained alt-folk-sounding acoustic guitar and theatrical vocal sections. There's a repetitive nature to the next two cuts, which has its purpose, but might prove frustrating for some listeners. The album’s epic centrepiece is Western, which is the longest cut, and tells the tale of a toxic break-up in spaghetti-western fashion. The rhythm on this track is just as much krautrock-influenced as it is math-rock, perhaps inspired by Can.
Near DT, MI is the most succinct cut, yet one of the most enthralling, with the driving guitars and pulsating energy leaving you craving more. The track seems purposefully short, crammed with ferocity as frontman Geordie Greep cries “there’s lead in the water!”, referring to the Flint Michigan water crisis. The track bmbmbm is also quite captivating, but for different reasons. Its groove is anxiety-inducing, accompanied by harrowing cries and screams. “She moves with a purpose / it’s so magnificent / it’s such a purpose”, Greep repetively declares in a psychotic vocal performance.
Those exaggerated sardonic vocals by Greep are sure to be divisive. David Byrne seems the obvious comparison here, but where David Byrne comes across as socially awkward, Greep is more brazen and theatrical. Meanwhile, where the guitars are sure to receive plenty of praise, the explosive, polyrhythmic performance on percussion from Morgan Simpson deserves a shout-out, as he comes through with one of the most impressive debut drum performances you’ll hear.
My experience with this album continues to change the more I listen to it. Similar to noise rock band Daughters’ latest effort, it becomes more unsettling and sinister with each listen. Be warned, this record is far from accessible, but in amongst clusters of stale, conventional indie rock bands, it’s exciting to have young group like black midi coming through and pushing the boundaries.
- Jack Jones.