D-Composed to Perform Blk Metropolis Apocalypse by Angel Bat

Composer and multi-instrumentalist Angel Bat Dawid and the Chicago-based Black chamber music collective D-Composed have presented Blk Metropolis Apocalypse, an immersive Afro-Sermonic suite designed to explore the historical significance and rich tapestry of the Black community in Chicago.

The work, titled Blk Metropolis Apocalypse: An Afro-Sermonic Suite for String Quartet & Clarinet, was commissioned by and for D-Composed. The composition is structured as a four-movement suite that utilizes the geography of the city to anchor its narrative.

Literary and Geographic Inspiration

The suite is grounded in the research of the 1945 book Black Metropolis: A Study of Negro Life in a Northern City, written by St. Clair Drake and Horace R. Cayton. Dawid used the seminal study to inform the piece’s exploration of Black musical heritage and the identity of various Chicago neighborhoods.

Each of the four movements in the composition represents a specific geographic area of Chicago and its associated feelings and identities. The movements are titled:

• Down South (soufside)
• Out West (westside)
• Ova East (soufshore)
• Up North (tha jungle)

Musical Composition and Style

To create a multi-sensory experience, Dawid blended a wide array of traditional and contemporary musical elements. The suite incorporates free jazz, blues, gospel, and classical music, while integrating improvisation and Afrofuturist electronics.

The performance of the suite featured a specific ensemble of musicians from D-Composed, a collective dedicated to uplifting the music of Black composers. The ensemble members included:

• Khelsey Zarraga on violin
• Anya Brumfield on violin
• Wilfred Farquharson on viola
• Lindsey Sharpe on cello

Khelsey Zarraga is also a staff member at United States Artists, the organization that partnered with D-Composed and Dawid for the project.

Performance Timeline

The project was introduced to the public through a series of events at Constellation, located at 3111 North Western Avenue in Chicago. On October 4, 2025, United States Artists presented a listening party that served as an exclusive preview of the work while it was still in progress.

During the October 4 event, Angel Bat Dawid opened the performance at the piano, utilizing ceremonial chords to set the tone for the audience. The session included a call-and-response segment designed to transform the audience into a congregation.

I want to remember we were together, even if it’s uncomfortable sometimes. It’s okay to be uncomfortable together because that’s a form of unity.

Angel Bat Dawid

Following the preview, the first full presentation of Blk Metropolis Apocalypse took place on November 30, 2025, at Constellation.