‘Paddling’ is the second release in the build up to their debut album, and finds Squid further pushing experimental punk in a confused haze of building synths, drum machine beats and spiking guitar sounds. This is shown best in the leading melody, which burrows deep into both the mind of the listener and the leading lick of the track.
The song is a disappointed outcry railing against the monotony of everyday life, expressed through call and response and perfectly executed time changes. The band’s vocals seem more subdued in this track than the outcries heard in their previous single, ‘Narrator’, but still serve up a suitable helping of punkish yelling. This culminates in an impressive crescendo alongside building instrumentals to thrust the track to a close.
This frustration at monotony is expressed in the track’s instructive lyrics; “patient and in control” and “just do what you’re told” are sung in a repetitive and almost robotic fashion, while “dig holes like a mole” suggests the animal nature of blindly existing, caught in a repetitive routine.
The track promises great things for the band’s debut album, Bright Green Field, which comes out on 7 May. ‘Bright Green Field’ is said to include innovative recording techniques, including recording from a swinging microphone in a room of guitar amps.
The band are also going on a UK tour in September of this year, visiting 13 different venues. If the experimentation of ‘Paddling’ is anything to go by, Squid will be releasing an impressive and memorable LP in May.
Pre-order Bright Green Field here.
Words by Rebecca Hyde
Photo by Holly Whitaker
Support The Indiependent
We’re trying to raise £200 a month to help cover our operational costs. This includes our ‘Writer of the Month’ awards, where we recognise the amazing work produced by our contributor team. If you’ve enjoyed reading our site, we’d really appreciate it if you could donate to The Indiependent. Whether you can give £1 or £10, you’d be making a huge difference to our small team.