M(h)aol have evolved with explosive clarity on Something Soft. Where Attachment Styles, their debut, was raw and revolutionary, their latest effort sharpens that edge into something more intimate and ferociously alive. The band’s chemistry is undeniable; the rhythm section of Hyland and Keane is locked in like a heartbeat, pulsing beneath vocals that flit between defiance and deadpan wit.
Tracks like Pursuit and DM:AM walk tightropes of tension, while 1800-Call-Me-Back and I Miss My Dog crash with catharsis, balancing irony and heartbreak. It’s their most technically and nuanced nimble work yet, but no less snarling. Something Soft isn’t gentle, it’s blistering and beautifully human. A sonic group chat for the disaffected, M(h)aol has made one of 2025’s most vital records.
8/10
Connect with M(h)aol: Twitter / X | Instagram | Youtube
Review first published: Narcmagazine.com – May 13th, 2025