Origins is a recurring series that gives artists a space to break down everything that went into their latest release. Today, British post-punkers Squid take us through their latest single, “The Blades.”
Squid have returned with the latest single from the upcoming O Monolith, “The Blades.” The post-rock-inspired, experimental post-punk track comes complete with a video directed by Kasper Häggström and starring Charlotte Ritchie.
The tune evokes the high-strung, tense art rock of Hail to the Thief-era Radiohead, fusing classic art-punk instrumentals with sprawling electronics and blistering horns. It builds itself up only to crumble before offering any sense of catharsis, and all the while, vocalist Ollie Judge offers perhaps his most dynamic performance yet.
“The song is written from the perspective of a police helicopter pilot called out to a protest and going a bit mad with power,” Judge explains. “The song ends with him in bed being tormented and kept awake by another pilot doing the night shift, eventually debating the choices he’s made.”
The intensity of the narrative is reflected in the sonics of “The Blades.” The nearly seven-minute-long track sounds labored over, meticulously constructed, and unlike almost anything else that’s come out in 2023. Beyond name-dropping Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails as influences for such a sound, the band also credits Tortoise’s Millions Now Living Will Never Die as a North Star. Fittingly, Tortoise member John McEntire would step in to help mix the song.
“The album’s balance of electronic and acoustic sound is thoughtful and was an inspiration when we were working on tracks like ‘The Blades’ and ‘Swing,’” guitarist Louis Borlase tells Consequence. “Maybe Tortoise’s skill at this is best exemplified on the album’s A-side, ‘Djed,’ where glitch and rhythmic groove mesh seamlessly for about 20 minutes!”
Check out the video for Squid’s “The Blades” below, followed by Judge and Borlase’s breakdown of the song’s Origins.
O Monolith will arrive on June 9th, and pre-orders are ongoing. Previously, the band previewed the album with “Swing (In a Dream)” and “Undergrowth.” In support of the release, Squid will embark on a lengthy tour in the UK and Europe later this year, followed by a run of North American shows in early 2024. Get tickets to their dates here.
