Squee - soliloquy (2026)
With soliloquy, Squee delivers seventeen compositions exploring romantic obsession, emotional insecurity, self-destructive impulses and the difficulty of escaping one's own thoughts. The album draws on fifth-wave emo, noise rock, screamo and lo-fi indie music, adopting an intentionally unpolished aesthetic that prioritises emotional immediacy over conventional musical refinement.
It's an approach I can appreciate, particularly because the combination of noisy guitars, fragile vocals and unpredictable structures has produced some fascinating recordings in contemporary underground rock. However, I find soliloquy rather disappointing. The emotional intensity is undeniable, but the songwriting rarely develops beyond repetitive declarations of frustration, dependency and despair.
What interests me most is the contrast between the deliberately chaotic presentation and the occasional moments of genuine vulnerability. The track titles frequently rely on absurd humour or exaggerated provocation, while the lyrics reveal an almost constant preoccupation with romantic instability and personal inadequacy.
There is something potentially compelling about this contradiction. Unfortunately, the album often confuses emotional intensity with musical substance, and I frequently find its most dramatic passages less convincing than the quieter moments.
The opening "I can't fall asleep" is a brief introduction, establishing the album's recurring themes of insomnia and emotional unrest. Its forty-second duration is appropriate for a transitional piece, although it also anticipates the fragmented structure that becomes one of the record's principal limitations.
"LAZARS" introduces a more aggressive lyrical approach, combining exaggerated images of violence with a repeated desire for change. I appreciate the contradiction between hostility and vulnerability, but the writing remains extremely simplistic.
The central phrases are repeated without substantial development, and the song feels more like an emotional outburst than a fully constructed composition. It's energetic in principle, but not particularly memorable.
"2 EDGY 4 U" continues the preoccupation with sleeplessness, romantic uncertainty and the desire for reassurance.
I appreciate the directness of the lyrics, but the emotional vocabulary is already becoming repetitive. The song communicates confusion and insecurity without introducing a particularly distinctive perspective.
The deliberately provocative title also feels rather unnecessary. I understand the use of irony within contemporary emo, but here it contributes little beyond establishing an attitude.
"Obsessed'" is one of the more interesting compositions, primarily because its longer structure allows a slightly more substantial exploration of romantic dependency.
The lyrics move between affection, resentment and destructive impulses, creating an uncomfortable emotional contrast. I appreciate the attempt to explore contradictory feelings rather than presenting a straightforward account of heartbreak.
However, the writing remains excessively repetitive. The violent imagery occasionally feels exaggerated simply to increase the emotional impact, while the central ideas don't evolve sufficiently over the song's duration.
There is potential here, but the execution lacks restraint.
The title track, "Soliloquy", concentrates on impermanence and the destructive consequences of emotional attachment.
I appreciate the conceptual relationship between the title and the album's confessional character. The record frequently feels like an uninterrupted sequence of internal thoughts, spoken without much consideration for their coherence.
However, this approach becomes one of its limitations. The repeated lyrical phrases establish a mood but offer little development, and I don't find the composition especially memorable.
"Boys" is another short expression of romantic frustration. Its directness is understandable, but the writing is relatively insubstantial.
The song introduces little that hasn't already appeared elsewhere on the album. The same emotional concerns return without a new perspective, making the composition feel unnecessary within such an extended tracklist.
"watching my local wendys burn to the ground outside my low income apartment" has one of the album's most distinctive titles, combining absurd humour with imagery of personal frustration.
I appreciate the contrast between the exaggerated presentation and the underlying desire for circumstances to improve. However, the novelty of the title is more memorable than the actual songwriting.
The lyrical ideas remain relatively familiar, and the composition doesn't establish enough individual character to justify its eccentric presentation.
"SLUMPED" is one of the album's strongest tracks, primarily because the longer format allows more detailed emotional expression.
The lyrics explore physical discomfort, emotional paralysis, dependency and anxiety about the future. I particularly appreciate the references to time passing while the narrator remains unable to act.
This creates a more convincing psychological portrait than the repeated declarations dominating many of the shorter tracks. The fear of change introduces an interesting contradiction: the desire for circumstances to improve while simultaneously resisting the possibility of transformation.
Nevertheless, the song is still rather melodramatic, and some passages would benefit from greater subtlety. It's a promising composition, but not one that entirely escapes the album's limitations.
"Wild at Heart" returns to a more exaggerated lyrical approach, combining affection, violent imagery and self-destructive fantasies.
I find the constant escalation rather frustrating. The underlying vulnerability is potentially interesting, but the provocative presentation becomes distracting.
Rather than developing the emotional contradictions in greater detail, the writing frequently relies on increasingly extreme statements. The effect becomes predictable, and I eventually find it more exhausting than unsettling.
"Wince" is my favourite track on the album.
At nearly five minutes, it provides one of the more substantial lyrical developments, moving between unsettling imagery and a surprisingly tender expression of romantic attachment.
What I particularly appreciate is the contrast between emotional instability and the desire for intimacy. The lyrics gradually introduce images of companionship, reassurance and remaining close to another person through the night.
This shift gives the composition a more convincing emotional direction than many of the surrounding tracks.
Rather than simply repeating anger or despair, the song allows vulnerability to become more prominent. I find this considerably more affecting than the exaggerated provocation elsewhere on the album.
The longer structure also works in its favour, providing enough space for recurring ideas to acquire additional meaning.
However, even here, the songwriting remains relatively repetitive. The emotional progression is appealing, but the composition could have benefited from more concise writing and stronger melodic differentiation.
It's the album's highlight, although not an entirely convincing demonstration of its musical potential.
"The Worst Breakup Ever" returns to romantic separation, expressing uncertainty and the inability to accept a relationship's conclusion.
I appreciate the directness, but the repeated lyrical references become monotonous. The composition offers little beyond its central emotional statement.
The relationship between heartbreak and obsession has already been explored more substantially elsewhere, making this song feel relatively redundant.
"HEARTBREAK" continues with another direct expression of romantic disappointment.
Its concise structure prevents it from becoming excessively repetitive, but I find the songwriting particularly limited. The repeated refrain doesn't establish a memorable perspective, and the composition contributes little to the album's overall progression.
It's one of the tracks that could have been omitted without significantly reducing the emotional or conceptual substance of the record.
"get over it" is another relatively successful composition, largely because it introduces a stronger sense of reflection.
The lyrics acknowledge personal responsibility and suggest the possibility of eventually moving beyond a failed relationship.
I appreciate this change of perspective. After so many songs dominated by dependency and destructive imagery, the possibility of recovery provides welcome emotional contrast.
However, the writing remains rather direct, and the composition doesn't explore its ideas with much complexity. It's encouraging to hear a different emotional register, but the result remains relatively conventional.
"Loser" returns to the album's familiar preoccupation with losing personal autonomy within a relationship.
I appreciate the psychological theme, particularly because emotional dependency is an important part of the record's broader identity.
Nevertheless, the lyrics are again excessively repetitive. The central idea is established quickly, with little additional development, and I find the composition rather difficult to distinguish from several preceding tracks.
"Waterbed" is one of the longer and more disturbing pieces, combining romantic obsession with imagery of violence, medication and emotional instability.
I understand the intention to explore uncomfortable psychological territory, but I find the constant provocation increasingly ineffective.
The writing frequently moves between tenderness and hostility without offering enough nuance to make those contrasts meaningful. The extreme imagery becomes repetitive, and the underlying emotional message is eventually obscured.
I would have appreciated greater restraint, allowing the psychological tension to develop through suggestion rather than constant escalation.
"Drown" continues with the familiar relationship between intimacy and emotional suffocation.
The central contradiction is consistent with the album's themes, but it has already been explored repeatedly. I don't find the composition sufficiently distinctive to warrant another variation on the same emotional concerns.
By this point, the album's limited lyrical vocabulary has become especially apparent.
The closing "Emo Depressed Sex" offers another deliberately provocative statement, combining physical intimacy, emotional pain and contradictory romantic declarations.
I appreciate the refusal to provide an artificially optimistic conclusion, but the songwriting remains familiar.
The composition doesn't introduce a particularly memorable final development, and I find the album ends without offering a stronger sense of emotional resolution or musical progression.
My main problem is the excessive repetition of the same emotional themes. Almost every composition explores obsession, insecurity, romantic dependency or personal frustration.
These subjects are entirely appropriate for emo, but they need more variation in perspective, imagery and musical expression to remain compelling across seventeen tracks.
Too often, the lyrics rely on direct statements or exaggerated violent imagery rather than developing a more nuanced psychological portrait.
The album's deliberately chaotic aesthetic is another mixed experience. I appreciate raw, unpolished music when the production reinforces a distinctive artistic personality. However, roughness alone doesn't create interesting compositions.
The combination of lo-fi guitars, programmed percussion and emotionally unstable vocals provides a recognisable sound, but relatively few songs establish a strong identity beyond that general aesthetic.
I particularly miss memorable melodies and instrumental developments. Even experimental emo can create compelling musical progressions through unusual guitar arrangements, contrasting textures or dynamic changes.
Here, the songwriting appears to depend far more heavily on lyrical intensity than on distinctive musical ideas.
The structure is equally frustrating. The album alternates between very short fragments and considerably longer compositions, creating a sense of unpredictability without necessarily establishing coherence.
Some of the brief tracks feel unfinished, while several extended songs repeat their central ideas unnecessarily. I would have preferred a shorter, more selective album concentrating on the compositions with the greatest emotional and musical potential.
The vocal approach also becomes exhausting. Emotional exposure is an important characteristic of contemporary emo, but constant desperation can lose its impact when there are relatively few contrasting moments.
I particularly appreciate the more vulnerable passages on "Wince" and "SLUMPED", where the emotional expression feels less dependent on provocation.
The lyrics are another source of frustration. The repeated use of violent metaphors and exaggerated self-loathing occasionally makes the record feel more concerned with shock value than meaningful expression.
I don't object to uncomfortable subject matter, but I need the writing to reveal something beyond the initial emotional outburst. Too many compositions establish a disturbing image and then repeat it without developing the underlying idea.
There are still occasional appealing qualities. The artist's willingness to expose contradictory emotions gives the project a certain personality, while the longer compositions occasionally reveal a more substantial approach to songwriting.
"Wince" is the clearest example, particularly because tenderness becomes an important part of its emotional development. "SLUMPED" also offers an interesting portrait of paralysis and fear of change, while "get over it" introduces a welcome possibility of recovery.
These moments suggest that Squee has greater potential when the writing moves beyond exaggerated provocation towards more detailed psychological observation.
I also appreciate the album's refusal to imitate conventional commercial rock. Its unpolished character and unusual presentation give it a recognisable identity within the broader fifth-wave emo scene.
However, independence and experimentation aren't sufficient reasons to overlook weak songwriting. The strongest underground records combine unusual aesthetics with memorable musical ideas, and I find that balance largely missing here.
Ultimately, soliloquy is a decent but rather disappointing experimental emo album, with occasional emotional sincerity and a few worthwhile compositions.
I particularly appreciate "Wince", "SLUMPED" and parts of "get over it", where the writing develops beyond repetitive declarations of obsession or despair.
However, the excessive lyrical repetition, melodramatic presentation and lack of memorable musical structures make the complete album more exhausting than rewarding.
There is a recognisable artistic personality here, but I would have appreciated a more focused selection, stronger melodies and a broader emotional vocabulary.
It's an interesting underground release with some genuine vulnerability, although too much of the music feels underdeveloped or unnecessarily provocative.
62/100
Playing time: approximately 00:49:00
❤️ Favourite track: "Wince"
+ Occasional genuine vulnerability and emotional contrasts, particularly on "Wince" and "SLUMPED"
+ Distinctive lo-fi identity combining experimental emo, noise rock and deliberately unpolished presentation
+ Several longer compositions offer more substantial psychological development than the brief, fragmented tracks
– Excessively repetitive lyrics exploring similar themes of obsession, insecurity and romantic dependency
– Melodramatic and frequently provocative imagery that overshadows more subtle emotional expression
– Uneven structure, limited memorable melodies and numerous compositions that feel underdeveloped or redundant
Genre: Noise Rock
Country: US
Final Verdict: 62% (Good Album)
Yearly Ranking: 579th / 806
Highlight: Wince
Made me think of:
Jane Remover
Parannoul
glass beach
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