With seemingly no expiration of fresh blood in the bank, black midi return less than a year later, and they execute it taking no prisoners. Frontman Geordie Greep, doing his level best not to smash his guitar to smithereens, comes in ballsily with his now-signature dramatic tongue (of thorns), here more cinematic than ever; something no doubt soaked up watching Scorcese’s fatless character study movies (a sincere compliement). This is backed by an ever panoramic birds eye instrumental, whence Picton syncopates himself in a strummed and restless funk vice. Murky horns and keys orchestrate him whimsically, while Simpson’s contrasting loungey drums (somewhat reminiscent of peak era Can – deservedly louder in the mix than previously) shunt against the borders of Greep’s fireside story. It’s like a go kart filled with explosives ready to go off the beaten track at any moment, which it sure does do during it’s playful serpentine detours. The musical equivalant of burning all your crops with the secret knowledge that they will grow back more fertile.
This comes alongside the announcement of black midi’s third album ‘Hellfire‘, set for release this July 15th via Rough Trade Records. In its press release, frontman Geordie Greep explains the loose concept album further: ‘Almost everyone depicted is a kind of scumbag. Almost everything I write is from a true thing, something I experienced and exaggerated and wrote down. I don’t believe in Hell, but all that old world folly is great for songs, I’ve always loved movies and anything else with a depiction of Hell. Dante’s Inferno. When Homer goes to Hell in The Simpsons. There’s a robot Hell in Futurama. Isaac Bashevis Singer, a Jewish writer who portrays a Satan interfering in people’s lives. There’s loads!‘.
During November 2021, between playing gigs in the USA, black midi also recorded a live album with Steve Albini at his Electrical Audio Chicago studio, reworking songs from their catalogue so far. Six of these will be pressed on six flexi discs (one song each), which will be available in limited quantity when the new album is pre ordered from specific retailers.
Pre Order Hellfire here.
black midi Tour Dates:
Tue. May 10 – Grenoble, FR @ La Bobine
Wed. May 11 – Milan, IT @ Santeria
Thu. May 12 – Zurich, CH @ Mascotte
Sat. May 14 – Vienna, AT @ Flex
Sun. May 15 – Prague, CR @ Meetfactory
Mon. May 16 – Berlin, DE @ Festsaal Kreuzberg
Wed. May 18 – Lille, FR @ Aeronef
Tue. May 31 – Istanbul, TR @ Zorlu PSM Jazz Festival
Thu. Jun. 2 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound
Thu. Jun. 9 – Porto, PT @ Primavera Sound
Sat. Jun. 11 – Mannheim, DE @ Maifeld Derby
Sun. Jun. 12 – Hilvarenbeek, NE @ Best Kept Secret
Thu. Jun. 17 – Sun. Jun. 19 – Vilnius, LT @ 8 Festival
Sat. Jun. 25th -Somerset, UK @ Glastonbury West Holt Stage
Wed. Jun. 29 – Sun. Jul. 3 – Budapest, HU @ Kolorado Festival
Thu. Jun. 30 – Bucharest, RO @ Club Control
Fri. Jul. 1 – Sun. Jul. 3 – Plovdiv, BG @ Wrong Fest
Thu. Jul. 7 – Sat. Jul. 9 – Trencin, SK @ Pohoda
Wed. Jul. 13 – London, UK @ Summer Series at Somerset House
Wed. Jul. 13 – Sun. Jul. 17 – Dour, BE @ Dour Festival
Fri. Jul. 15 – Riga, LV @ Positivus Festival
Fri. Jul. 29 – Puglia, IT @ Sud Est Indipendente,
Fri. Aug. 12 – Rees Haldern, DE @ Haldern Pop
Wed. Aug. 17 – Essen, DE @ Ruhrtriennale
Sun. Aug. 21 – Winterthur, CH @ Winterthurer Musikfestwochen
Thu. Jul. 21 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
Sat. Jul. 23 – Asbury Park, NJ @ Asbury Lanes
Sun. Jul. 24 – New York, NY @ Central Park SummerStage
Thu. Sep. 1 – Sun. Sep. 4 – Dorset, UK @ End of the Road Festival
Thu. Sept. 1 – Sun. Sept. 4 – Dorset, UK @ End of the Road Festival
Sat. Oct. 3 – Manchester, UK @ Manchester Psych Fest
