Final evening (February 9), Squid debuted tracks from their upcoming second album ‘O Monolith’ throughout a one-off headline present at London’s SCALA. See pictures, footage and the setlist beneath.
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As introduced this week, the band’s second album will arrive on June 9 through WARP. They launched the follow-up to 2021’s acclaimed ‘Shiny Inexperienced Discipline’ with lead single ‘Swing (In A Dream)’.
Squid have been initially set to headline SCALA in April 2020, following the discharge of their 2019 EP ‘City Centre’ – tracks from which have been notably absent final evening. Slated to be their first London headline present, the gig was rescheduled by means of the lockdowns and quickly scrapped, giving technique to an up to date touring schedule round ‘Shiny Inexperienced Discipline’, earlier than asserting their eventual arrival on the King’s Cross venue.
Nearly three years later, the band lastly appeared at SCALA to offer followers a primary have a look at ‘O Monolith’ – debuting a extra advanced, intentionally avant-garde incarnation of Squid.
Except for lead vocalist and drummer Ollie Decide, every band member moved between a number of devices in the course of the meticulously-choreographed set. The tracks have been moreover fortified by touring percussionist Zands Duggan, biking by means of an array of congas, shakers and triangles.
The set opened with ‘Undergrowth’ – a melodic lower from ‘O Monolith’, driving in direction of a melancholic closing act by which guitarist Louis Borlase moved to synths, and keyboardist Arthur Leadbetter switched to cello. Subsequent got here ‘O Monolith’s noir-ish nearer ‘If You Had Seen the Bull’s Swimming Makes an attempt You Would Have Stayed Away’. This noticed Laurie Nankivell’s bass slink by means of a storm of percussion, with Borlase utilizing a guiro, Leadbetter taking over a cowbell, and the Duggan taking to a small, chest-mounted washboard.
Having met these new tracks with rapt consideration, the gang erupted in welcoming ‘Shiny Inexperienced Discipline’ spotlight ‘G.S.Okay.’. Following this with new observe ‘Satan’s Den’, Squid appeared to level to ‘O Monolith’s grander musical scope. Led by an eery half-croon from Decide, and sustained synths recalling the strings from ‘Tehellim Pt. I’ by Steve Reich (the band’s said enthusiasm for Reich is extra evident in these new songs), this observe’s sudden structural shifts palpably caught the room off-guard – incomes the most important applause to this point.
Squid carry out stay at Scala in London. CREDIT: Sophie Jouvenaar
The stage then went quiet for a trumpet solo by Nankivell, looped into the opening sequence of recent observe – and clear set-highlight amongst followers – ‘After The Flash’. Driving in direction of a beautiful ascending synth line, paying homage to Samuel Barber’s ‘Adagio For Strings’, this gave the impression to be a band’s favorite as properly – its members bouncing by means of its triumphant crescendo.
Returning to play synthesisers, Nankivell, Borlase and guitarist Anton Pearson delivered a sprawling digital piece, marked within the setlist as ‘Fieldworks’. “That one’s from the third album” Decide mentioned. “Fuck is aware of when that’s going to return out.”
With Decide’s announcement “this one’s referred to as ‘Houseplants’,” the band broke into ‘Shiny Inexperienced Discipline’ observe ‘Narrator’ – the one earlier single within the set, and closest the viewers bought to these pre-album tracks. The set closed with ‘O Monolith’s newly-released lead single ‘Swing (In A Dream)’.
Squid carry out stay at Scala in London. CREDIT: Sophie Jouvenaar
The ever-terrific Squid enjoying new stuff at The Scala this night. @squidbanduk #squidband pic.twitter.com/pT1GliTYP8
— Toby Cotton (@TobiasCotton) February 9, 2023
Squid, on the Scala
A promised gig. A band with thrilling concepts set out in an album but to be launched. And a “hit” single the viewers will shout for and be ignored.
A pandemic and three years later, and we’re in a lot the identical place.
I used to be late, however what I noticed was very pleasing. pic.twitter.com/oKuNlRYksi
— El Turko (@steventurko) February 10, 2023
Squid tonight at Scala, what a gig, a lot power and so ridiculously proficient, fully sensible#squid #omonolith #moshpit #scala #livemusic pic.twitter.com/TTrYvjSxaA
— VeryNearlyHalfWitted (@BoysKeepSwingin) February 9, 2023
Squid Performed:
‘Undergrowth’
‘If You Had Seen the Bull’s Swimming Makes an attempt You Would Have Stayed Away’
‘G.S.Okay.’
‘Financial institution’
‘Satan’s Den’
‘After The Flash’
‘Peel St’
‘Documentary Filmmaker’
‘Fieldworks’
‘Narrator’
‘Swing (In A Dream)’
Squid may even embark on a brand new tour in October, following a summer time of competition dates. Tickets will go on sale from 10am on February 16 and will likely be out there right here.
Squid will play:
October 2023
13 – Bristol, SWX
14 – Bristol, SWX
16 – Birmingham, City Corridor
17 – Leeds, O2 Academy
18 – Manchester, New Century
21 – Glasgow, Barrowland Ballroom
22 – Newcastle, Boiler Store
November 2023
1 – London, Troxy
In a five-star evaluation of ‘Shiny Inexperienced Discipline’, NME mentioned: “From their very earliest materials, it was clear to inform that Squid would solely be capable of really fulfil their potential when given the canvas of an album, on which to inform a narrative that ebbs and flows at a tempo and route that they dictate. ‘On Shiny Inexperienced Discipline’, in all of its bizarre, frantic and incredible glory, they’ve gone above and past.”