O Monolith
O Monolith gives Squid's unrest more room. The band sound more patient and let their melodies come forward clearly, but the music remains full of unexpected movement. Guitars, brass and electronic sounds change roles easily. The result is less immediately explosive than the debut, but carefully developed and rich in detail.
Swing (In A Dream) starts uncertainly with keyboards before the different instruments gradually form something much more restless. Guitar lines and brass open the track out without making it entirely predictable. Ollie Judge does not need his fiercest voice throughout to maintain the tension.
On Undergrowth, bass and guitar give the rhythm a clear funk flavour. That physical stability is useful on a record that often explores other directions. After The Flash places a melody beneath its repeated movement, with keyboards adding a psychedelic colour. The band leave enough space for small changes to matter.
The Blades grows from a fairly small rhythm into a fuller, more troubled sound. Towards the end, Judge's voice takes on a more vulnerable character. Siphon Song instead uses a processed, almost robotic voice. Its electronic setting gradually becomes stronger but does not simply provide the expected big release. Squid can also maintain tension by leaving something out.
The long closer If You Had Seen The Bull’s Swimming Attempts You Would Have Stayed Away quickly moves between different musical worlds. That requires patience and attention to their connections. Not everything has the earlier work's raw urgency, but the album follows a convincing logic of its own. O Monolith presents a band who distribute their ideas better and more often dare to wait. Its strongest moments benefit from that confidence, giving the record a distinctive appeal that grows beyond its first impression.
