Warp Records has announced their new signing, Brighton-based five-piece Squid - comprised of Louis Borlase (guitars/vocals), Ollie Judge (drums/vocals), Arthur Leadbetter (keyboards/strings/percussion)
Thematically, Squid’s previous releases -- “The Cleaner,” “Houseplants” and “Match Bet” -- have been more character-driven with Squid looking at the people around them, but on “Sludge” the band is in a more introspective state of mind; simultaneously seeking a wider commentary, but approaching it with an idiosyncratic precision and a lighthearted demeanor.
“Sludge” was initially conceived during a soundcheck while supporting seminal post-punk group Wire, a fitting way to begin this new chapter for a band who have built so much of their reputation on their incendiary live shows. The track sees the band team up again with Dan Carey, who was recently deemed “Producer of the Year” by the Music Producers Guild.
This wild and restless creativity points the way forward for more exciting things to come from Squid. As FADER commented, “Just when you think the British five-piece have settled into a groove and aligned themselves to a sound, they flip the script and hit you with something new.”