Almost a year to the day from the release of their debut EP, Cardiff-based quintet Midding return on 6th February with a new five song collection entitled .44, an oblique reference to Son of Sam serial killer David Berkowitz and his connection to The Process Church of the Final Judgment cult. The Process Church carries a damaged reputation (in part by association), but in its infancy its spiritual radicalism, aesthetic manipulations and commitment to a burgeoning counterculture make good source material for future inspirations. Like Throbbing Gristle, Psychic TV and Skinny Puppy before them, Midding understand there's equal fascination to be found in their dark as the light. Made between Rat Trap Studios and Fairoak, their own home-built recording set-up, these new songs represent the first time they've set live drums to record. The results are marked, shifting from the linear pulse of that first EP to something more dynamic and agile. A bedroom project has now become a fully functioning group. As with the previous EP, all five songs were recorded to tape, which gives .44 its in-room feel, imbuing a sense of claustrophobia that neatly matches the subject matter of the lyrics, referencing cultdom, serial killer fanaticism, depression and, ultimately, ecstatic release. Tracks like 'All For You' and 'Nuisance' flex with a melodic confidence that's both accessible and off-kilter, though the greatest transgression can be heard on 'For A Little While', a churning spacerock blast overlaid with indecipherable, automatic writing-derived lyrics that suggest some kind of Lovecraftian portal may have been opened up in Wales this past year. Into that portal we might follow... .44 is released digitally and on limited edition vinyl on 6th February via Tough Love.
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