Midrift

Based in San Francisco, Midrift crafts alternative rock rooted in shoegaze, melodic grunge and emo, performing as a trio centered on Manoa Neukermans, Kai Neukermans and Gus Merkam. Emerging in the early 2020s, the band established a dense, hazy sound driven by saturated guitars, often restrained tempos and vocal lines that shift between pop clarity and rougher tension. Their self-titled debut EP, Midrift, was released in 2022 and set the tone for an aesthetic blending drifting textures, massive riffs and introspective sensibility, in conversation with elements of the recent American alternative scene. Since then, Midrift has been playing shows across California and Texas, both as headliners and supporting artists like Fiddlehead, Momma, Glare, Quannnic and Wisp. They occupy a space where contemporary shoegaze meets melodic post-hardcore and indie rock, characterised by concise songwriting and an unembellished approach to live performance.