Manchester quintet Square Wild released their debut album Otherling on 24 August 2026, self-produced after a four-year odyssey that began when their rehearsal space was sold for flats. The drum tracks were recorded in haste before the room was lost; what followed were remote sessions, extensive re-recordings and line-up changes that the band summarises as eight bassists, three guitarists, five university degrees, four pets and all their sanity.

The eleven-track record blends progressive rock, heavy riffing, ska, funk, cabaret and theatrical vocals. Reviewer Zachary Nathanson on Echoes and Dust calls it his album of the year so far, highlighting Lucy Shevchuk's shape-shifting voice — from drill-sergeant commands in "The Drifter" to a Courtney Swain-like howl in "Pins and Mould" — and Jack Vallance's guitar work that moves from Cardiacs-like intricacy to Janick Gers fluidity. The closing track "Masquerade", a six-minute ska-inflected chant, arrives with an official video directed by Eric Edmondson and premiered on 8 September.

Prasheen Naran mixed and mastered the album, preserving the band's unfiltered DIY character. Square Wild celebrated the release with a launch show at The Bread Shed on 12 September. Otherling is available on Bandcamp and streaming platforms.