Looking like they’re in a computerized, post-apocalyptic landscape, Squid brings us their first single, “Narrator”, off their forthcoming debut record ‘Bright Green Field’. Inspired by ‘A Long Day’s Journey Into Night’, “Narrator” explores our perception of reality and challenges the often unreliable “narrator” of the stories we tell ourselves. There’s nothing quite like the unhinged screeches of frontman Ollie Judge, but they’re joined on this track by Martha Skye Murphy whose delivery and timbre is reminiscent of Dry Cleaning’s Florence Shaw (at least at first). As the digitized world swirls away into black with grids and graphics and nightvision, Martha’s screams are heard over Judge’s repetitive “I’ll play mine…”. The band shared in the youtube description of the video insight into Martha’s vocal choices and direction, and well as their song inspiration.
The track was inspired by the 2019 film ‘A Long Day’s Journey Into Night’, the song follows a man who is losing the distinction between memory, dream and reality and how you can often mould your memories of people to fit a narrative that benefits your ego. Martha Skye Murphy, the track’s guest vocalist, made the point that the unreliable narrator is, more often than not, a male who wishes to portray women as submissive characters in their story. After some discussions with Martha she thought it’d be a good idea that she play the part of the woman wanting to break free from the dominating story the male has set.
It’s a killer track to act as the introductory to the record. It’s bombastic and abrasive and climatic and chaotic. If the following tracks can keep up with this precedent, it’s going to be an incredible first full-length release for the band.
‘Bright Green Field’ is out May 7th via Warp Records. You can pre-order the album here.
