Description
Teeming with melodic epiphanies and layered sounds, Squid’s second album O Monolith is a
musical evocation of environment, domesticity and self-made folklore. Like its predecessor,
2021’s critically acclaimed, UK number 4 album Bright Green Field, it is dense and tricksy – but
also more warm and characterful, with a meandering, questioning nature. “I think we’ve been
able to have a lot more fun this time,” says guitarist Anton Pearson of the change between Bright
Green Field and O Monolith. “We wanted to embrace those slightly funny moments, where you
establish a tone then free-fall into another sonic world, which is something we always do when
we’re making music together.” A sense of open conversation is cultivated: this is unmistakably
music made by friends, but it’s not exclusionary – they’re inviting you in to listen with them.
Expansive, evocative and hugely varied, O Monolith retains Squid’s restless, enigmatic spirit,
but it still holds surprises for those familiar with Bright Green Field. It’s a reflection of the
outsized progression of a band always looking to the future. “Every record we do is a snapshot
of where we’re at,” Ollie concludes. “We’re quite a musically stubborn band, and in an endearing
way it’s a stubborn record. It requires quite a lot of attentive listening.” Like its namesake, O
Monolith is vast and strange; alive with endless possible interpretations of its inner mysteries.
