Here they come.
There’s a steady build up to Squid’s latest track “Paddling”. First comes a simple riff, then some electric drums, steadily getting louder and louder, until the voice of Anton Pearson shouts above it all: “Patient and in control”.
It’s reminiscent of Squid’s steady rise over the last five years. Coming out with increasingly gutsy singles and EP’s such as 2019’s Town Centre, this band has slowly been announcing themselves as Britain’s latest post punk prodigies.
“Paddling” only does more to cement that. Taking notes from children’s book The Wind in the Willows, the single paints a scenic tale into a darker piece of work, relating our human instincts to that of a mole. The mole burrows its way down into the ground, working harder and harder to forge its tunnels whilst racing its way further from the sun. This is what consumerism does to our souls.
As a species we grow up, we make friends, we live as far as life allows us to live; but somewhere along the line our intentions get crossed. We join the race, we make our money, and the friends we’ve gained we lose. Like a mole, we follow our primal instincts. It’s just a shame those instincts have a tendency to lead us into darkness.
Thankfully, Squid have stayed above ground. Starting off over five years ago, this band has never lost the importance of sticking together. Now their dream of bettering the system is being filtered into the music they make, resulting in some hard hitting but ultimately exuberant post punk bangers. Whilst many other post punk bands fall under the radar, “Paddle” does enough to claim our attention, spinning the genre on its head in a myriad of bold guitar driven soundscapes.
With their debut album Bright Green Field on its way in the summer, it’s clear that Squid are looking to take 2021 by storm. They’re coming for us, and rest assured they’re writing their name in ink.