The new album by Squid, Cowards, deals with evil. Nine stories in which the protagonists confront cults, charisma, and apathy. Real and imagined characters navigate the dark ocean between good and evil. Cowards is Squid's boldest album: it broadens their horizon while returning to the essentials. The band recorded Cowards at Church Studios in Crouch End with Mercury Prize-winning producers Marta Salogni and Grace Banks. Their long-time collaborator Dan Carey, who recorded their first two albums, contributed additional production. The mixing was done in Seattle by John McEntire (Tortoise, The Sea & Cake…) before being finalized by Heba Kadry's rich analog mastering chain in Brooklyn, New York. Since their debut in 2016 as an instrumental jazz band for a monthly night in Brighton, Squid has come a long way. Their first album, Bright Green Field (2021), was released as the world began to open up after the pandemic, reaching the top 5 of the UK charts. In 2023, they released their second album, the dark O Monolith, which took them around the world and allowed them to explore new territories that seemed unthinkable a few years ago.