Squid Unveils New Single “Building 650” and Announces UK Tour

Squid have unveiled their newest single, “Building 650,” and announced an exciting lineup of headlining shows across the UK in 2025.

New Music and Upcoming Album

The art rock band is set to release their third studio album, titled Cowards, through Warp Records on February 7 (pre-order here), having already introduced the lead single, “Crispy Skin.”

Their second single, the vibrant and energetic “Building 650,” drew inspiration from frontman Ollie Judge’s experiences during “our first trip to Japan.” You can watch the video, directed by Felix Gin, Daisuke Hasegawa, and Kuya Tatsujo, here:

“We played at the Summersonic festival in 2022, and fortunately, our performance was scheduled just two days after the COVID travel ban was lifted, making us feel like one of the few tourists in Tokyo,” Judge shared.

“During the flight, I read In Miso Soup by Ryu Murakami and was captivated by Lost in Translation, leading me to write lyrics about the sensation of being an outsider in Japan, touching on the unique loneliness one might feel in a culture so different from their own. In Tokyo, this loneliness feels amplified; on the surface, it’s bustling with noise and people, but beneath that, it becomes eerily quiet.”

Exploring Themes in “Cowards”

As per a press release, Cowards will delve into “nine narratives where the protagonists confront cults, charisma, and apathy, allowing the band to explore the distinction between good and evil.” The group continues to expand its musical frontiers, incorporating elements of folk, space, psychedelia, jazz, and electronica.

Additionally, the band has scheduled a series of UK performances from February to April this year, kicking off at Liverpool’s Invisible Wind Factory on February 17th and concluding at London’s Roundhouse on April 26th. For tickets, check out the complete list below and find your tickets here.

Squid UK Dates 2025:

FEBRUARY
17 – Liverpool, Invisible Wind Factory
18 – Manchester, O2 Ritz
19 – Glasgow, Old Fruitmarket
21 – Newcastle, NSU Domain
22 – Sheffield, Leadmill
24 – Cambridge Junction 1
25 – Norwich, Adrian Flax Embankment
27 – Oxford, O2 Academy
28 – Southampton, Engine Room

MARCH
1 – Margate, Lido
2 – Brighton, Chalk
4 – Birmingham, XOYO
5 – Bristol, Beacon

APRIL
26 – London, Roundhouse

Cowards was recorded at Church Studios in Crouch End with Mercury Prize-winning producer Martha Salogni and Grace Banks. Production was also handled by Dan Carey, who previously produced the band’s first two albums.

With mixing in Seattle and mastering in New York, the album features contributions from Danish experimental artist Clarissa Connelly, composer and musician Tony Njoku, Rosa Brooke from punk band Pozi, percussionist Zands Duggan, and Jonny Greenwood from Ruisi-quartet for violin, viola, and cello. NME has named it one of the most anticipated albums of 2025.