English band Squid are on a roll. Hailing from the seaside city of Brighton, they mine an experimental area of the rock spectrum, drawing influence from the likes of Neu!, This Heat and Tortoise. The band have risen as part of a clutch of UK acts who have been exploring the wilder end of the post-punk spectrum. With »Cowards« Squid builds on its blueprint, using choppy guitars, cycling synth lines, prominent bass parts and often a motorik beat, characteristic of heroes of the band such as the aforementioned Neu!
Opener »Crispy Skin« immediately grabs the listener’s attention with bright, dizzying synth lines that give way to a chugging post-punk bass line and singer Ollie Judge’s characteristic semi-spoken vocals. Compositionally, the band stand out from the crowd with multi-phased, wandering tracks that often veer from the genuinely beautiful to the noisy and abrasive. Songs such as »Building 650« and »Fieldworks II« perfectly demonstrate the band’s unique understanding of engaging arrangements – knowing when to strip things back and when to throw the kitchen sink at them. Their use of strings and brass gives them further territory to explore. Squid are true sonic adventurers and ‘Cowards’ is another fine entry in their ever-growing discography. The only question left is where their wild imaginations will take them next?
