ANYTHING BUT SOFT| M(H)AOL IMPRESS WITH PREDICTABLY ENTHRALLING NEW ALBUM
ALBUM REVIEW | M(H)AOL – SOMETHING SOFT by Anne Kelly
Emerging as one of the most thrilling new acts from Ireland’s vibrant creative scene, noisy post punk trio M(h)aol (pronounced Male) have unleashed their explosively raw brand new album Something Soft.
Proudly wearing their intersectional feminist badges on their sleeve, Something Soft see’s M(h)aol more grisly than ever before. Retaining that abrasive dissonance that made 2023’s debut Attachment Style so appealing, this new record pushes the band even further, delving deep into a world of frustration, grief and wit.
With four singles released and now being consumed by their listeners, the remaining seven tracks are unsurprisingly just as noisy and disjointed as the rest. First released in early 2024, opener ‘Pursuit’ gets straight to the point with its graduating, foot tapping urgency. “I thought about it all. I thought the shoes that I’m wearing would help me run away from you. Who are you anyway? Is it you, is it you, is it you” chants vocalist/drummer Constance Keane on repetition, with each repeat becoming more intense before the song descends into pure climatic rage.
This album reflects the bands changed line up since Attachment Style; going from a five-piece to a solid trio of Keane (she/her), Jamie Hyland (bass/vocals, she/her), and Sean Nolan (guitar, he/him). The change in line-up has seen the band face fresh challenges but it’s a feat that they have turned around positively, making them stronger in the process.
Haunting industrial style melodies are the foundations of this album with every track just as explosively rogue as the next. Yet, even against the abrasive guitars and discordant feedback, M(h)aol have managed to capture an intimacy amongst the chaos. ‘I Miss My Dog’ resonates with its grief stricken sadness, whilst ‘You Are Temporary, The Internet Is Forever’ gives off a slighting menacing vibe, yet both maintain that aforementioned sense of intimacy.
Something Soft is anything but soft. It’s a difficult listen at times, disorientating with its harshness. Erratic offbeat tendencies are all over this record, ‘E8 – N16’ and ‘Vin Diesel’ are no exception, dragging you deeper into the unhinged world of M(h)aol, before peaking with psychedelic trip ‘Clementine’.
With all its desolating grunginess, there’s actually a lot of wit and humour from this band on this record. What started as a joke to write a football chant, ‘1800-Call-Me-Back’ opens with a playful dial tone melody before building to something more complex. Then there’s gender stereotyping ‘Snare’,which was inspired by the suggestion that drummer Constance should “play something soft like piano or violin”. Or take ‘IBS’ which in its 87 seconds has an industrious party punk energy, underpinning a dry charm to M(h)aol which always manages to sneak in, even in the albums darkest moments.
Every song on Something Soft is enthralling on its own, and as a collection is a trip to immerse yourself in, but ultimately, it ends up a little predictable. Whilst the sentiment of their music is always present, the structure of the songs is often repetitive and as an album that does become tiresome. Don’t be mistaken, I do genuinely love this band and everything they represent. Their refreshed line-up have managed to nurture, even improve on the bands already established sound, giving M(h)aol a a strong hand in their game. Going out on ‘Coda’, all predictability was left behind thankfully. Their lengthiest track of the album, the final offering is pure discordant noise, and hopefully a sign of what this band have in store for us next.
Something Soft is OUT NOW via Merge Records – BUY/STREAM NOW
M(H)AOL can be found on the road this year on the following dates:
16 May – The George Tavern, London
18 May – Le Botaniques, Brussels
20 May – Rough Trade East, London FREE
28 May – The Black Box, Belfast (w/ Cola & Junk Drawer)
29 May – Sandinos, Derry (w/ Cola & Junk Drawer)
30 May – The Roisin Dubh, Galway (w/ Cola & Junk Drawer)
31 May – Kasbah Social Club, Limerick (w/ Cola & Junk Drawer)
1 June – Coughlans, Cork (w/ Cola & Junk Drawer)
2 June – Coughlans, Cork (w/ Cola & Junk Drawer)
3 June – Luca Records and Decks, Waterford (w/ Cola & Junk Drawer)
4 June – Whelan’s, Dublin (w/ Cola & Junk Drawer)
13 June – Pies Pala Pop, Rennes*
14 June – More Women On Stage, Paris*
11-13 June – Creepy Teepee Festival, Kutna Hora, CZ*
13 September – Hop Pop Hop Festival, Orleans, FR*
15-16 September – Olympia, Dublin, IE (Supporting Black Country, New Road)
17 Sep – Nice N Sleazy, Glasgow
18 Sep – Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh
19 Sep – Future Yard, Birkenhead
20 Sep – Headrow House, Leeds
23 Sep – Heartbreakers, Southampton
24 Sep – The Louisiana, Bristol
25 Sep – Rough Trade, Nottingham
26 Sep – Hare & Hounds, Birmingham
27 Sep – SOUP, Manchester
*Festival
