JAKARTA - The world of experimental rock music is shrouded in sadness. Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin, one of the founders and former guitarist of the British band Black Midi, reportedly died at the age of 26.
The news of the departure of this talented musician was confirmed by family representatives on Monday, January 12, after a long struggle against the mental health problems he had faced over the past few years.
Through an official statement uploaded by the record label Rough Trade Records, the family expressed their deep loss over the musician's departure.
"It is with deep sadness that we, as a family, regret to inform you that Matthew Kwasniewski-Kelvin has passed away after a long struggle with his mental health," the family statement read, quoted Tuesday.
The family also emphasized how Matt's great talent finally surrendered despite various efforts to heal him.
They also conveyed a touching message that the community should be more concerned about the condition of their closest people to prevent similar tragedies from happening to other young generations.
Until now, the specific cause of the death of the London-born musician has not been revealed to the public.
Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin's own musicality is strongly imprinted in Black Midi's debut album, "Schlagenheim", which was released in 2019. This album even made it onto the prestigious Mercury Prize list.
However, in early 2021, Matt decided to step away from the music scene. Through a post on the band's Facebook page, he stated, "I have taken a break from the band because I am mentally unwell. Because of this, I will not appear in the upcoming material. I will be back soon."
Full support came from his bandmates - Geordie Greep, Cameron Picton, and Morgan Simpson - who expressed their patience in waiting for their friend to recover so that they could work together again.
After Matt's death, Black Midi continued to progress by releasing two other successful albums, "Cavalcade" (2021) and "Hellfire" (2022), before Geordie Greep finally announced the band's hiatus status in August 2024.
Black Midi's journey formed in London since 2017 has often been colored by internal dynamics, including Cameron Picton's statement that he was surprised by the sudden announcement of the band's dissolution on social media.
Although Black Midi is now on a hiatus to focus on the solo projects of each of the band members, Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin's contribution to laying the foundation of unique math rock and post-punk music will be remembered by his fans around the world.
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