Schlagenheim

My.

Fucking.

God.

Listen to this album please. For the love of GOD listen to this record. Thanks.

...Your wanting a review longer then that huh?

Ok, so, for context, I had no idea who or what black midi was going into this project. I had no idea what sound they had, who was in the band, or any knowledge of the album going into this record. All I vaguely knew was that it's described as post-punk, but that could mean 15 different things to 30 different people.

So what exactly DID black midi do to blow my ass away?

It was the craziest, most fun, intense pieces of music I've heard in 2019, and may be my album of the year. Not joking.

I legit had to mutter to myself "Oh my god" after hearing the first goddamn track. This is chaotic, noisy, jazz influenced punk fire-blast of a record with a splash of creativity and experimentation to create one of the best records of the goddamn year. I have no struggle saying that this was one of the best surprises of the whole year so far. It's a varied, interesting and exciting album, filled to the brim with so many creative and fun ideas that this group plays around with, and all does so with grace and elegance. And this is their debut! This seems like a group that has been refining their craft for centuries, yet this is their first solid outing in recorded music.

This music is so dense and interesting, it feels almost prog in places. It's got so many different elements and musical passages that it feels genuinely like it was made by aliens. The experimentation, the pacing, the noisiness, the dynamics, the crystal clear production, the poetic lyrics. It's a package of enlightening tracks that I can't get enough of. It's a punch to the face, then the punch becomes distorted, then the punch becomes a pillow, then that pillow becomes a guillotine.

But, while being chaotic and warped, it still remains heavenly and subdued. It has breathing room from the weirdness and the chaos, so when it comes back in full force, it feels like the world is ending around you. It truely is a uniquely terrifying experience. In a weird way, with the way of the noise and the dynamics, this feels like almost Swans-esq, delivering a heavenly set of experiments that makes every listen to this record all the more sweeter.

Trying to find negatives with this project feels nitpicky and pretentious to me. I seriously can't find a single thing wrong with this thing. I'm going to give it some time before I make it a 10, but it feels like one. It's huge in scope, excellent in delivery, game changing and a intensely creative experience. Please, do NOT miss this record out. They play with a purpose, so magnificent!

Favorite Jams: 953, bmbmbm, Ducter

Lest Favorite: Speedway

Edit: I've come to the conclusion that this is the type of music I want to try and make in the future.