Matt Jencik and Midwife are boundary-pushing projects in extreme and experimental metal. Jencik blends black, ambient, and noise elements into immersive soundscapes, while Midwife, fronted by Madeline Johnston, fuses doom, ambient, and minimalism to create haunting, emotionally charged atmospheres. Both projects explore themes of existentialism, loss, grief, and the human condition, appealing to fans of deeply immersive and introspective metal.
Madeline Johnston of Midwife and Matt Jencik (of Slint, Circuit Des Yeux, and Hurl) first met in 2015 when they shared a bill and again in 2018, eventually forming a friendship. Following several ambient drone instrumental albums, Jencik sought a new creative challenge: writing vocal-heavy songs.
He initially worked alone in his basement, recording directly to a four-track cassette and sending the demos to another collaborator before that partnership dissolved. Jencik then thought of Johnston, drawn to the way her voice “glowered” in her songs and her commitment to minimalism, which aligned perfectly with the project’s aesthetic and spiritual vision.
In both of their work, Jencik and Johnston use minimalism as a vessel for enormous, universal, and desperate emotions. Entire worlds emerge and dissolve between each sparse note, embedding a breadth of feeling into the simple structure of their songs.
Together, Matt Jencik and Midwife deliver music that is intense, sparse, and emotionally resonant. Jencik’s layered textures and experimental soundscapes combine with Johnston’s haunting vocals and minimalist approach to create music that is immersive, melancholic, and thought-provoking.
This page focuses primarily on Matt Jencik and Midwife T-shirts, hoodies, and apparel, sourced from Relapse Records and other trusted distributors. Designs reflect the dark, experimental, and haunting aesthetic of both artists, ideal for fans of Ambient, Doom, and extreme experimental metal.
Stock rotates regularly, so if something catches your eye it’s worth picking it up while available. We’re gradually expanding the range with more official Matt Jencik and Midwife T-shirts and hoodies. CDs and vinyl releases are occasionally available alongside apparel.
Fans of Blut Aus Nord, Ulcerate, Bell Witch, Wolves in the Throne Room, and other experimental or extreme metal acts will appreciate the shared intensity, minimalism, and emotional depth, with these projects delivering immersive, heavy, and emotionally resonant experiences.
Matt Jencik and Midwife has been a key part of Relapse Records - browse the full roster here.
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