Squid has revealed their new and upcoming album Cowards, which will be released in February 2025. In order to give fans a sneak peek, the band has shared their new single and first track of the album, “Crispy Skin.” A song that mixes punk energy with a dark aura.  

When it comes to the lyrics, “Crispy Skin” speaks of feelings of vulnerability and self-doubt. Ollie Judge’s vocals seem almost urgent, with certain lines such as “I’m just a shell with crispy skin” reflecting a sense of fragility and isolation. The song’s rhythms and guitar riffs only emphasize the lyrics by pulling listeners in, making them want even more.

The music video for “Crispy Skin” reflects the song’s exact tone. It contains distorted, dreamlike visuals that alternate between the sky, a hand, a house, flowers and more. The director, Takashi Ito explains that the video is an adaption of his 1995 short film titled “Zone.” To go into more detail he states “A film about a man without a face. His arms and legs bound with ropes, still without even a quiver in a white room.”Regarding the album Cowards, fans can rest easy knowing songs like “Crispy Skin” can be heard in near February. The review of Bright Green Field, an album by Squid from 2021 truly sheds light on Squid’s experimental punk sound and their unique ways of blending sounds. This goes on into their upcoming album Cowards and new single “Crispy Skin” as they continue to push boundaries with darker and more intricate topics. 

Cowards tracklist: 

01 Crispy Skin

02 Building 650

03 Blood on the Boulders

04 Fieldworks I

05 Fieldworks II

06 Cro-Magnon Man

07 Cowards

08 Showtime!

09 Well Met (Fingers Through The Fence)