Black Midi have announced their second album ‘Cavalcade’, the follow-up to 2019’s acclaimed debut ‘Schlagenheim‘.

Ahead of the record, the band have shared proggy lead single ‘John L’, along with chaotic visuals envisaged as “a jet black comedy about what happens to cult leaders when their followers turn on them.”

The video was directed by directed by choreographer Nina McNeely, whose previous credits include Rihanna’s ‘Sledgehammer’ and Gaspar Noe’s 2018 horror film Climax.

‘Cavalcade’ will be released on May 28 via Rough Trade. The band say the record is envisaged as a procession of different larger-than-life figures such as a cult leader, an ancient corpse found in a diamond mine, and cabaret singer Marlene Dietrich.

“When you’re listening, you can imagine all the characters form a sort of cavalcade. Each tells their story one by one and as each track ends they overtake you, replaced by the next in line,” said guitarist Cameron Picton.

The tracklisting for ‘Cavalcade’ is as follows:

01. John L
02. Marlene Dietrich
03. Chondromalcia Patella
04. Slow
05. Diamond Stuff
06. Dethroned
07. Hogwash and Balderdash
08. Ascending Forth

‘John L’ was initially recorded with producer Marta Salogni, with the band subsequently working with John ‘Spud’ Murphy in Dublin.

“It worked really well with John,” said frontman Geordie Greep. “We wanted a natural, open sound combined with fourth wall breaks – for lack of a better expression. Do you know on record when you can hear the tape screeching, the things that make you aware that you’re listening to a recording?

“[With a lot of records] it feels like either you’re listening to the ECM, high-fidelity, 25 mic amazing sound or you have the lo-fi album full of crazy effects. And I thought, ‘Why not have an album where you combine the two?’ That was one of the main ideas going into it and John was very keen on that idea.”

Earlier this year, Black Midi announced that bassist Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin has been taking time away from the band due to mental health issues.

While Kwasniewski-Kelvin does not apear on ‘Cavalcade’, the band have recruited saxophonist Kaidi Akinnibi and keyboard player Seth Evans  for the sessions.