Ahead of the release of their forthcoming debut record, Bright Green Field (due May 7 via Warp Records), Brighton, UK five-piece Squid have returned with another stellar single, a banger called “Paddling.”

While much of the material off Squid’s impending debut album was written in the studio, “Paddling” has been in their live arsenal for a while. The track leads with blaring, sci-fi synths and pulsing drums, quickening in pace; an upbeat staple that meshes the chaotic but controlled post-punk tendencies the group is known for, while introducing a more intricate facet of their technical abilities. Lyrically, it tackles the sort of dystopian horror Bright Green Field centers around, wondering if we’re all just cogs in a massive, inescapable machine. “Patient, in control/Dig holes like a mole/Patient, oars in stow/Just do what you’re told,” the track opens.

“Written from two different perspectives, ‘Paddling’ is a song about the dichotomy between simple pleasures and decadent consumerism,” say the band. “Recounting a familiar scene from The Wind in the Willows, the song reminds us that although we are humans, we are ultimately animals that are driven by both modern and primal instincts, leading to vanity and machismo around us in the everyday.” You can watch the “Paddling” video below.

Meanwhile, Squid will play SXSW Online on Friday, March 19 at 7 PM as part of the British Music Embassy’s showcase Yard Act and Do Nothing. You do need a SXSW Online pass to watch — more info is here.