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. 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. Like its namesake O Monolith is vast and strange; alive with endless possible interpretations of its inner mysteries.