Description
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The British post-punk band Squid, originating from Brighton, first rocketed to fame with their fiercely infectious music, bristling with kinetic energy. Establishing themselves as perpetual innovators in the realm of music, they have continuously evolved, expanding the parameters of the post-punk genre. Their transformation from the inception stages, predominantly shouty, to an intriguing British act of the preceding decade, unequivocally substantiates their limitless potential. Evidently, Squid are on an enduring sojourn in the musical realm, their invincible creative spirit and genre-transcending qualities setting them apart.
Five years on, their artistic capacity blooms in full force as they gear up for the release of their daringly creative album, ‘Cowards’, in 2025. This latest anthology presents an immersive exploration into the complexity of evil through nine ingeniously crafted narratives. These stories paint vivid images of real and hypothetical characters treading the nebulous line dividing good from evil, confronting apathy, cults, and charisma. Rather than basing these tales on ordinary occurrences or known individuals, Squid’s backbone and primary vocalist, Ollie Judge, finds inspiration in the captivating universe of cult fiction. Plunging into disquieting narratives of nefarious personalities, Judge leads the band in soundscaping an atmosphere of ethical ambiguity, interspersed with hints of digital narcissism.
Compared to the density of their past records, ‘Cowards’ sees the band reverting to basic elements, refining them to produce an intricate blend of simplicity and magnitude. According to Louis Borlase, the band’s guitarist, the spotlight is shone on exceptional lyricism in this album. ‘Cowards’ essentially demonstrates the band’s remarkable growth, attributed to their overseas tours that inadvertently contributed to shaping the record. Fascinatingly, every track is anchored to distinctive locales that the band members have traversed collectively. Echoes of New York, Tokyo, and Eastern Europe reverberate in the soundscapes of each melody.
Intriguingly, Squid views ‘Cowards’ as the album they wish they had begun with. However, the delicate weave of a shared musical language, as explained by their bassist and cornetist Laurie Nankivell, demands an extended period of learning and growing together. This venture involves intensive work, inclusive of constant in-person collaboration, paving the way for vivid musical conversations that ultimately imbue their compositions with a raw kinetic energy. This regarding the group’s most dexterous album demonstrates the band’s dedication to their craft, indicative of their desire to create distinct auditory motifs and maintain an atmosphere of inventive playfulness.
The interactions between different sound components are a perfect blend of traditional instruments, bricolage, and production efforts. Amidst new inclusions in the band’s musical arsenal like the acoustic elements, there’s a continual quest for playful innovation as apparent in Arthur Leadbetter’s manipulation of a sampled harpsichord. Interestingly, led by the creative spirit of experimentation, they even incorporate the resonating hum of Nankivell’s bicycle spokes to create an eerie undertone in the album.
Subsequent to a whirlwind experience of relentless gigging post the release of their second album, Squid finds solace in finally getting to take the backseat during the recording of ‘Cowards’. As they travelled, they keenly observed Salogni & Banks’ pure recordings, despite the oddly anachronistic sensation of reflecting on incomplete work. The opportunity to be surprised through unique interpretations of their music invoked an exhilarating twist in their creative journey, further amplified by the contribution of distinguished artists like Clarissa Connelly, Tony Njoku, and Rosa Brook, amongst others. ‘Cowards’ is a pristinely manufactured specimen of the band’s adventurous exploration into the realm of resonance. Defying the trending norms of post-punk compositions, Squid’s brazen ingenuity promises to keep them afloat in a sea of transitory musical acts.
