Cavalcade (studio album) by Black Midi

From NotStates 04/19/2022 04:19

I've listened to this album like 50 times already and the high moments still hit like they did the first few listens. The buildups are strong and the payoffs are enormous. No weak tracks.

From Jboy56 04/06/2022 11:48

Needs more listening...

From VictorVale 03/04/2022 11:36

Grandioso! Sem dúvida um dos melhores do ano!

“Cavalcade” is built off the frantic exchange of instruments. The sound feels akin to free form Jazz, math rock, and strangely enough Primus. Rash clashes of guitars and horns will lead to a quiet period only for the intensity to rise again. The arrangement is well created, every instrument is noticed without covering the others. While the Instrumentation is tightly put together, the production is not. After “Marlene Dietrich”, the sound is mixed so quietly. The low volume robs the album of its sense of force, turning intense moments into more of a listening excise. In particular, the vocals are so quiet at times that they can barely be recognized. Black Midi has a promising sound, they just need to make sure it can be heard.

The progressive/punk rock they delivered in Schlagenheim didn't get me a lot, I thought it was too many technical and soulless. Despite the fact I felt a bit like this also in this sophomore album I have to admit that most of the tracks here are simply gorgeous, really love the jazzy influences and see a lot of potential.

A very chaotic and frantic album, that is extremely unique and definitely makes me excited for a future project. The way they can transition from slow to fast paced is incredible and that alongside the production makes for a very smooth listen. There is also some great instrumentation on the record, such as the drum work, which creates a fantastic atmosphere for us to enjoy. However, it can sound too chaotic times and a little bit messy and unpolished. It shows amazing potential for future projects that take on this style as this is great and they should only get better. Overall, I'm excited to revisit this album later on as it is a great modern prog record and deserves the praise it gets.

To be completely honest it’s just a lot. It’s taken several listens to wrap my head around. It treads a fine line of being creatively chaotic and just flat out chaotic. It indulges itself too much but is still an interesting and fairly rewarding listen. Enjoyable overall but still doesn’t really pan out the way it could. 7/10

From AlvaroIesus 10/09/2021 06:19

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It's just frantic. Like being hit round the head with a guitar. Just sit back and try and work out what's going on. Genuinely interesting and innovative.

From Cargusbralem 07/18/2021 01:51

This one took longer to digest than Schlagenheim, but I can now confidently say this was a great listen. Not a fan of the new John L sound style (at least not yet) but the rest is some of the best prog rock I've heard in years. Perfect balance between chaos and calm.

Favorites: Diamond Stuff, Chondromalacia Patella, Dethroned

PS: how exactly is black midi considered post punk sometimes?