For as long as he can remember DJ, producer, and label owner Midland has never quite fit
in; when in 2016 a song of his went unexpectedly global, it came as no shock that this
feeling of ‘always being the odd one out’ seemed to only magnify with his newfound fame. It
was a turning point, where the expectations of his musical output, queerness, and personal
ideology to conform were cast off and the assured outlier artist that fans know today began
to emerge.
A decade before, at the age of 20, Midland found himself at another pivotal moment. He had
landed a late-night slot on an infamous Leed’s pirate radio station called Frequency FM. His
first year University room would become the unlikely gathering spot for a wave of DJs
youthfully experimenting with folding the sounds of dubstep, garage, drum and bass, and
house. By 2010, Midland found himself at the center of this newly forged sound sweeping
the UK music scene. His debut release with Pearson Sound called “Your Words Matter,” a
sentiment that foreshadowed the strong views on human rights and awareness that would
seep its way into his future output.
His recorded mixes, which often feature the voices of thought leaders and LGBT+ icons,
have become word-of-mouth favourites. In 2016, he won “Essential Mix of the Year” for his
entry into the series. In 2017, he recorded “Fabriclive94” after being a 15-year regular at the
London club institution, playing all three rooms many times over, it was described by
Pitchfork as “one of the year’s best” and earned compilation of the year from Mixmag, who
featured him as their first cover star of 2018.
As a producer, Midland’s style has nimbly evolved from one record to the next. Coming up
during the 2000s codification of dance music into a heteronormative industry, track by track
his music began to push dancers further away from the wolfpack. In 2013 Midland started
his label “Graded,” liberating all of his future music and truly leaning into his independence.
This was followed by the arrival of another label, ReGraded, in which he explored the art of
sampling, culminating with the release of “Final Credits” the sleeper hit that went on to be
named in Rolling Stone’s “200 greatest dance songs of all time” and earned the top spot of
Mixmags best songs. Recognising his responsibility to now pass it forward he started the
label InterGraded to platform new and emerging acts like Peach and Otik.
Alongside his own studio output he became a choice remixer for acts like Disclosure, Dua
Lipa, Little Dragon, St. Vincent and the Chemical Brothers. Arguably, however, his biggest
impact still comes from the other side of his craft: DJing. Delivering his kaleidoscopic taste
with a mixing technique that nods as much to his British lineage as it does to a smoother
European style, he has distinguished himself with an ability to switch styles in a way that
always feels totally natural. From Glastonburys NYC Downlow (where he has been a regular
since 2015) to the seaside Montreux Jazz Festival to the closing slot at Sonar and his sold
out “10 Hours at Islington Assembly Hall” day parties he is able to play in a way that shows a
deep understanding of spaces and what is needed to bring it alive. Resident Advisor said
about his selections: “There’s a perfect record for every moment, and he usually has it”.
In between his sessions supporting other artists like Jessie Ware, Midland has been putting
the finishing touches on his debut album “Fragments of Us” which is newly released
on his own Graded Label. The LP embraces the themes of otherness (and togetherness)
that have informed him as an individual and community-minded artist. At its core, it is a homage to and celebration of the gift that is being different and the spaces and voices that
have helped him realize that, a dialog between those who have left us and those who
remain. From the voices of politicians discussing Section 28, the draconian law introduced
by Margaret Thatcher that would loom over the lives of queer people for the next 20 years to
cult artists like David Wojnorwicz, Arthur Russell and Marlon Riggs the record is as historical
as it is forward facing; another step into the unknown taken by an artist still very much
exploring the possibilities of his craft.
We couldn’t be happier that Midland is joining us for a 3 hour set, soundtracking our sunset until the lasers light up the trees. We’ve been huge fans of Midland for years, enjoying all night long sets at Phonox and Islington Assembly Hall, he’s introduced us to new music and made us hear old tracks in a whole new light. He really is a master. The Potato Head Bali mix has been played hundreds of times by us, it really is a very beautiful journey. Find below and a link to tracks from the new album…
