Words by Eddie STATS Houghton
If you have been blessed with the opportunity to catch the St. Croix reggae collective called Midnite at one of their legendary shows, then you probably already know the outlines of that legend: one of the deepest catalogs in a genre known for prolific artists, their own unique chant-and-call take on one drop and onstage charisma that seems to put their cultishly devoted followers–the kind who are apt to say “I only listen to Bob Marley and Midnite”–into a reggae-induced trance. In which case you will also know that even though they have been recording since 1989 they have never, ever made a music video–a deliberate part of their mystique, or maybe the Rasta’s general disdain for video lights and too much watchy-watchy. Or perhaps–just as when they walk on stage at those legendary shows at the stroke of 12 midnight–they have been waiting for precisely the right moment.
Without further ado, LargeUp is proud to present “Mongst I & I,” the first-ever music video from Midnite. It is a first of firsts, in fact, since “Mongst I & I” is also the first single from the band’s forthcoming album King’s Bell, which will be the first they have recorded in Jamaica (Tuff Gong) in collaboration with a Jamaican producer (Andrew “Bassie” Campbell) and some of the island’s most legendary musicians including Leroy “Horsemouth” Wallace, Earl “Chinna” Smith, Squidley Cole, Mikey “Boo” Richards and Sticky Thompson.
If on the other hand you haven’t been blessed to catch them live, we can’t think of a better way to introduce you to Midnite. Watch below and stay tuned for more from King’s Bell: