Irish post-punk powerhouse M(h)aol are back—and they’re not here to whisper sweet nothings. Their second full-length album, ‘Something Soft,’ is out now on Merge Records and TULLE, and it’s anything but background music.
This record pulses with catharsis and chaos—raging against systems, sexism, and the general soul-suck of modern life, all while exploring what “softness” really means. Spoiler alert: softness can hit like a sledgehammer when it needs to.
To mark the release, M(h)aol dropped a new video for 1800-Call-Me-Back, shot entirely on their phones, documenting a Thursday in the lives of each band member from their respective cities. It’s raw, real, and delightfully unpolished—basically a perfect companion to a track about the criminal offense that is ghosting (especially after 25, according to drummer/vocalist Constance Keane).
“The intro sound came from me and Sean watching the Euros and talking about football chants,” says Keane. “I’m not even into football, but international teams not being able to buy players? That hit different. This is our football song.”
With ‘Something Soft,’ M(h)aol channel all their ferocity into finely tuned sonic fire. Tracks like Pursuit and Snare are anchored by Keane’s pounding drums and pointed lyrics, bouncing off Jamie Hyland’s gripping basslines and Sean Nolan’s sharp-edged guitar. It’s tight. It’s tense. It’s thrilling.
And this time around, the band dug deeper—literally. With extra time in Dublin’s Ailfionn Studio, they experimented, layered, and finessed their sound like never before. But don’t worry, they didn’t lose their edge. If anything, they honed it.
For the uninitiated, listening to ‘Something Soft’ is like stumbling into an ongoing group chat filled with rage, wit, tenderness, and the occasional existential spiral. For longtime fans, it’s another chapter in M(h)aol’s fearless journey, one where vulnerability and defiance live side by side.
As always, they aren’t afraid to get personal while taking aim at the bigger picture. Snare in particular lands a gut-punch of a line: “Why not play something soft like piano or violin?” followed swiftly by the deadpan closer “Did you ask him too?” That’s M(h)aol’s magic—turning shared frustrations into anthems.
‘Something Soft’ track list
- Pursuit
- I Miss My Dog
- You Are Temporary, But the Internet Is Forever
- DM:AM
- E8/N16
- Vin Diesel
- Clementine
- Snare
- IBS
- 1800-Call-Me-Back
- Coda
And they’re taking that energy on the road. The band just announced a fresh run of UK headline shows for September, plus a mini Irish tour with Cola and Junk Drawer kicking off May 28. But first, they’re celebrating the album launch tonight at George Tavern in London, with an in-store set at Rough Trade East coming up on May 20.
Tour Dates:
May
- 05.28 – Belfast, IE @ The Black Box *
- 05.29 – Derry, IE @ Sandinos *
- 05.30 – Galway, IE @ Roisin Dubh *
- 05.31 – Limerick, IE @ Dolan’s Kasbah *
- 06.01 – Cork, IE @ Coughlan’s *
- 06.02 – Cork, IE @ Coughlan’s *
- 06.03 – Waterford, IE @ Luca’s Records and Decks *
- 06.04 – Dublin, IE @ Whelan’s *
June
- 06.13 – Rennes, FR @ Pies Pala Pop
- 06.14 – Paris, FR @ More Women on Stage
September (UK Headline Tour)
- 09.17 – Glasgow, UK @ Nice N Sleazy
- 09.18 – Edinburgh, UK @ Sneaky Pete’s
- 09.19 – Birkenhead, UK @ Future Yard
- 09.20 – Leeds, UK @ Headrow House
- 09.23 – Southampton, UK @ Heartbreakers
- 09.24 – Bristol, UK @ The Louisiana
- 09.25 – Nottingham, UK @ Rough Trade
- 09.26 – Birmingham, UK @ Hare & Hounds
- 09.27 – Manchester, UK @ SOUP
* Irish Tour with Cola and Junk Drawer
Go stream ‘Something Soft’ wherever you get your music, and check out the 1800-Call-Me-Back video on YouTube. Whether you’re here for the politics, the punchy basslines, or just need a good cathartic shout—M(h)aol’s got your back.
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