London post-punks Squid wowed us when we saw them back at SXSW, so we were pretty excited to hear that the five-piece announced a new EP on Monday morning. While we’ll have to wait until September for the Town Centre EP to be released, the band shared a new cut to celebrate the announcement.
“The Cleaner” sprawls with errant vocals, rhythmic bass and hazy production flourishes. Tightly wound drums keep the track’s various cinematic set pieces grounded while still allowing the band plenty of space to play with cacophonous experimentation; a mid-song freakout moves the song from a Talking Heads-esque spoken-word groove into the fuzzy and unmoored realm of fellow countrymen Black Midi, while the calculated bass skitters give hints of Devo.
Over it all, Ollie Judge squeals lines like “I’m the cleaner, and yes I can speak that shop / A real lover, real labor in this manager” with understated class consciousness. The band expand on the track in a statement:
The Cleaner is a lost acquaintance, one that we’ve spent the last year trying to get to know … tirelessly working and turning up whenever needed. We work for the money to spend our time doing other things. The Cleaner imagines the divided work and play structure and thinks about breaking from it.
Here’s producer Dan Carey on the band: “To record with them is such a joy—the room is a sea of ideas and enthusiasm without any clashes of ego; every suggestion is given full attention.” On this track, that comes across. “The Cleaner” is an eager groove, brainy in intent but bodily in execution.
The Town Centre EP is set for release on Sept. 6 digitally and Nov. 15 physically via Speedy Wunderground. Catch “The Cleaner” below, and if it’s to your fancy, you can preorder the EP here.
Town Center EP Art: