Mhaol

Backed by the likes of NME, The Guardian, The New York Times, NPR, So Young, Hot Press, Apple Music’s Matt Wilkinson, Alt Press, The Line Of Best Fit, and loads more, Ireland’s M(h)aol share new single ‘Period Sex’ from debut album Attachment Styles out Friday via TULLE Collective / Rough Trade Publishing (pre-order here). 

A track that people either love or makes them feel widely uncomfortable, ‘Period Sex’ is a celebration of periods and how it’s still such a taboo subject even for those that would consider themselves progressive - a band known for being political, this was a song they wanted to be really sexy.

Singer Róisín Nic Ghearailt says of the song, “Prior to writing the track I’d had a lot of eye-opening conversations around period shame with people of all genders and from all walks of life, and I wanted to write almost an anthem for everyone who had ever had a period or loved someone who had one. It felt like a hugely powerful thing to be in a position to create a song as a band that was unequivocally sexy. I’m a cis bisexual woman in a queer, sapphic relationship. Periods and period sex are a part of my reality, and my girlfriend actually helped me with the lyrics in the first verse.”

With a shoestring budget, bassist Zoë Greenway made the video to show an honest portrayal of female desire. It was influenced by experimental filmmakers like Carolee Schneeman, Barbara Hammer and James Bidgood, both in their challenging of the dominant interpretations of sexual expression and how they use human bodies and dreams to subvert expectations. The main influence came from the period sex scene in Joanna Hogg’s film The Souvenir Part 2 with its mature, realistic and normalised depiction of period sex - the underwater world was inspired by Georges Méliès.

Zoë comments, “At the end of the day, it’s just a bit of blood, isn't it? It’s just a biological process that 50% of the human organisms on earth go through every month and there shouldn’t be any shame or taboo surrounding that. You know bats also menstruate? It’s just science that people menstruate, I don’t think anyone should ever feel embarrassed about it, about seeing blood on sheets or underpants or things like that. ”

Based between Dublin, Cork, Belfast, London, and Bristol, the band is formed of Róisín Nic Ghearailt (She/Her), Constance Keane (She/Her), Jamie Hyland (She/Her), Zoë Greenway (She/Her), and Sean Nolan (He/Him). 

Attachment Styles is a record about social connection, queerness and healing where the listener goes on a journey. When Róisín was writing the lyrics, she used the theory of attachment styles as an overarching theme which is a theory that looks at the impact our inter-familial relationships and society have on how we relate to one another.

Bassist Jamie produced, mixed, and mastered the album where she wanted to capture the live element, meaning it was recorded in one small room with no headphones, minimal drum mics, and only a PA for vocals. 

“Emma Goldman said, “If I can’t dance, it’s not my revolution,” which is very much my approach to politics. With Attachment Styles as an album overall I tried to incorporate more joy and humour into it. With any kind of political music, you’re attempting to do your bit to create a better future and that’s exciting. It shows that you believe a better future is possible.”, Róisín adds about the album.

M(h)aol have just set off on their Independent Venue Week co-headline tour with Manchester, Brighton, and Bristol selling out. They’ll host a very special album launch party in London this Thursday with limited tickets on-sale to raise money for Mermaids available here.

Attachment Styles is out 3rd February 2023
Via TULLE Collective / Rough Trade Publishing