Something Soft
I didn’t know anything about Mhaol before this. I saw the album cover, thought the name was kind of weird (still not sure how to pronounce it), and figured I'd throw it on. Turns out they’re an Irish post-punk band—pretty political, pretty noisy, kind of intense. Their new album, Something Soft, is not really soft at all. That title feels like a joke, honestly.
The first thing that stood out is the vocals—they’re not super polished or traditionally “sung.” Constance Keane (who I guess used to be the drummer?) handles most of it now, and she kind of talk-sings, sometimes screams, sometimes mumbles. It’s cool in a raw, slightly off-kilter way. There’s a sense that she’s not trying to sound pretty, which works for what they’re doing.
The songs are short, punchy, and kind of all over the place—emotionally and sonically. “Pursuit” kicks things off in a pretty heavy way, touching on gender-based violence and that whole mental checklist women run through just to get home safely. It’s intense but not over-the-top dramatic. Just sort of puts you in that headspace.
“I Miss My Dog” is literally about missing her dog, which sounds goofy on paper, but the way it’s delivered makes it kind of hit. It’s not sentimental—more like frustrated and repetitive, like she’s trying to will the dog back into existence with noise.
There are a few other tracks that stuck out, like “You Are Temporary, But the Internet Is Forever” and “E8/N16,” which both lean into this distorted, weird, glitchy energy. Sometimes the lyrics are dead serious, sometimes they’re more sarcastic or random. “Vin Diesel” in particular feels like they’re just riffing on consumer culture in a half-funny, half-existential-crisis kind of way.
As someone coming in blind, the sound kind of reminds me of a rougher, looser version of early Sleater-Kinney or maybe a more political Dry Cleaning. It’s not super catchy or super melodic, but it’s got a purpose and a kind of loud, scrappy confidence. There are moments that feel repetitive or meandering, but also moments where everything locks in and feels sharp.
Overall, Something Soft is interesting. Not life-changing for me, but not boring either. It feels like the kind of album you throw on when you want something loud, slightly chaotic, and a little pissed off—but not in a forced way. I’m not sure I’ll be looping it all week, but I’m glad I checked it out. Might dig into their first album if I’m in the mood for more.
MHAOL - SOMETHING SOFT
RATING - 6.9/10
FAVORITE TRACK - I Miss My Dog
GENRE - Post-punk, Noise Rock, Art Punk, Experimental Rock,