***Something Soft, the second full-length album by Irish post-punk firebrands M(h)aol, is anything but. From the first note of its propulsive opening track to the distorted cries of its last, Something Soft feels antagonistic to the very concept of softness, sonically and thematically, taking an unapologetic approach to intersectional feminism, animal welfare, consumerism, and the struggle to find a place in a world lacking in empathy. What M(h)aol offers is catharsis, in two forms: the kind you get from being open with others, and the kind you get from righteously smashing some shit up.
LP $24.50
05/16/2025
***Based in Dublin, Cork, Belfast, London, and Bristol, the Irish intersectional feminist five-piece M(h)aol have gained a reputation for their engaging and invigorating live shows. The group’s 2023 album Attachment Styles is about social connection, queerness, and healing where the listener goes on a journey. When vocalist Róisín Nic Ghearailt was writing the lyrics, she used as an overarching theme the theory of attachment styles which examines the impact our inter-familial relationships and society have on how we relate to one another. Consisting of Róisín (vocals, she/her), Constance Keane (drums, she/her), Jamie Hyland (bass, she/her), Zoë Greenway (bass, she/her), and Sean Nolan (guitar, he/him), M(h)aol apply a DIY ethos to all aspects of the band. Attachment Styles was originally released on TULLE, an independent women-led record label co-founded by Constance. It was recorded, mixed, mastered, and produced by Jamie, and all accompanying artwork and music videos were created by Zoë.
LP $22.45
11/17/2023