  We describe a simple model of fermions in quasi-one dimension that features
interaction induced deconfinement (a phase transition where the effective
dimensionality of the system increases as interactions are turned on) and which
can be realised using dipolar fermions in an optical lattice. The model
provides a relisation of a "soft quantum matter" phase diagram of
strongly-correlated fermions, featuring meta-nematic, smectic and crystalline
states, in addition to the normal Fermi liquid. In this paper we review the
model and discuss in detail the mechanism behind each of these transitions on
the basis of bosonization and detailed analysis of the RPA susceptibility.
