Black Midi is an English experimental rock band formed in London in 2017 at the BRIT School, mixing math rock, post-punk, prog, and jazz fusion with virtuosic playing — Morgan Simpson's drumming especially. Schlagenheim made the Mercury Prize shortlist; Cavalcade and Hellfire push even further out. Dig into Black Midi vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
Black Midi formed in London in 2017 while the members were students at the BRIT School. The band has been associated with the London experimental rock scene also home to Black Country, New Road, Squid, and others. They signed with Rough Trade Records and released their debut album Schlagenheim in June 2019, which was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize. The band has continued with Cavalcade (2021) and Hellfire (2022). They went on hiatus in 2024.
Black Midi's sound combines experimental rock, math rock, noise rock, post-punk, progressive rock, and jazz fusion. Their work features unusual time signatures, abrupt dynamic shifts, virtuosic instrumental performance (particularly Morgan Simpson's drumming), and theatrical, allusive lyrical content. The band's live performances are widely regarded as definingly intense.
Rough Trade pressings of all three Black Midi albums have appeared in multiple color variants and limited edition pressings.
Listeners new to Black Midi typically start with Cavalcade (2021) or Schlagenheim (2019).
