Obviously Confidential by Middle Name John

Middle Name John created Obviously Confidential cornered between the fatigues of late-stage capitalism and the overwhelming feeling that doomsday is always one step ahead. Composed of eight groovy, trippy and often witty songs, the album is a blend of electronic experimentalism with the occasional swagger of a guitar riff.

More runaway train conductor than narrator, Middle Name John distils disillusioned poetry that oscillates between a purge of incisive social observations and a collection of elaborate indagations of subconsciousness, holding a two-way mirror into the personal and the collective. Obviously Confidential highlights the shortcomings of modern-day individualism and reminds us that perhaps the glimmer of hope at the end of the dark tunnel of human ugliness can only be achieved through empathy.

“The world can be cruel. Don’t let it make you mean.”

Recorded during times of simultaneous global pause and unrest, the album intentionally reflects the chaotic, confusing and at some points silly dialogues that happened both in the public and internal spheres. Instead of enforcing solitude, Middle Name John embraced collaboration, bringing along multi-instrumentalist friends such as Alessandro La Barbera (Los Padres, Sans Soucis) and Max Mella (Aphty Khéa, Sheldon Agwu). On the final track ‘Too Much Too Soon’ you can hear the wonderful drumming of Marijus Aleksa (Joe Armon Jones, Oscar Jerome). The challenge of never being in the room with more than one person invited each collaborator to bring their own edge to their respective tracks, turning the songwriting into a playful process where the toying around with cassette loops and effects pedals can be heard throughout.

“Comparable to Thom Yorke’s Solo album ‘The Eraser’, ‘Different’ is built around a sprawling soundscape of glitching electronics, lighting guitar tones and boxy, lo-fi drums. Pleasingly experimental yet retaining a structure and a sense of purpose, the track balances its floating sonic ideas with a captivating, post-punk influenced spoken word verse that grows into a deceptively ear-worm, melodic vocal line in the chorus, delivered through some distortion tinted vocal processing.” [Backseat Mafia]

“Exploring more of that riveting and experimental nature he has been honing lately, this new eight-track collection makes for an incredibly immersive listen. With such a broad and passionate approach to his sound at every turn, 'Obviously Confidential' cements him as one of the more innovative names doing the rounds right now.” [Mystic Sons]

“The experimental poetry is laced with distorted punch, with Middle Name John, bending genres until they snap through inconceivable rhythms, punk attitudes and an absurd grit. What the dystopian atmosphere leads the listener into is a vast world of difficult truths and uncomfortable introspection. A very unique project.” [Flex]

“With ‘Obviously Confidential’, Middle Name John continues to redefine the landscape of contemporary music, offering a compelling blend of sonic exploration and social commentary.” [Backseat Mafia]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A creator, a musician, a writer, an observer, an activist, and a person.

Instagram
linktr.ee