black midi are back. The experimental UK band has announced its second album, Cavalcade (out May 28 via Rough Trade), and also released the music video for the lead single, “John L.” The video was directed by choreographer and creative director Nina McNeely, whose previous projects include Rihanna’s “Sledgehammer” visual and Gaspar Noé’s Climax. Watch the “John L” video below.
According to a press release, the “groundwork” for Cavalcade was laid in late 2019 after black midi released their debut Schlagenheim. Half of the album was written by individual members of the band at home before they brought it to one another during rehearsals. As the band noted earlier this year, guitarist/founding member Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin stepped away from the group to tend to his mental health and is not featured on Cavalcade. black midi recruited two new members to play on the record: saxophonist Kaidi Akinnibi and keyboardist Seth Evans.
Read the Rising feature “Get to Know black midi, a New Type of British Guitar Band.”
Cavalcade:
01 John L
02 Marlene Dietrich
03 Chrondomalcia Patella
04 Slow
05 Diamond Stuff
06 Dethroned
07 Hogwash and Balderdash
08 Ascending Forth
