Culture
14 Apr 22

M(h)aol share arthouse video for 'Desperation', inspired by Megan Nolan's novel

Dublin post-punk outfit M(h)aol have also announced a headline show at London venue The Grace on July 19th.

Rising outfit M(h)aol have unveiled another Zoë Greenway-directed video for new single 'Desperation', inspired by Megan Nolan's bestselling debut novel Acts of Desperation.

Erratic and bass heavy post-punk, the partially autobiographical ‘Desperation’ is about moving on after the demise of a damaging relationship. The visuals feature plenty of red gloves and tulle material, with a woman draped in red emerging from the sea. Full of enticing imagery and richly creative, it's another gem from Greenway.

The distinctive intersectional feminist band are set to perform a headline show at London venue The Grace on July 19th, with tickets on sale now. M(h)aol are also slated to support the legendary Shellac in Ireland, perform at the sold out Green Man and End Of The Road Festivals as well as performing in Paris and the Netherlands.

The Dubliners began 2022 by signing to live agency Candy Artists (Dry Cleaning, Bodega, deep tan, Dream Wife, Protomartyr). Chosen by Steve Albini himself, M(h)aol will support Shellac at their rarely seen live dates in Ireland this April, which includes Dolan’s Warehouse in Limerick on 26th April and two dates at The Button Factory in Dublin on April 27th and 28th April. Shellac last performed in Ireland in 2017.

Bassist Zoë Greenway is behind all of the band’s videos, saying: "The video is about finding power within and was inspired by the song lyrics. In keeping with this the video is almost entirely up to the viewer's interpretation."

On the track itself, singer Róisín Nic Ghearailt says, “'Desperation' is about moving on with your life after the demise of a damaging relationship. It's about the ways that we internalise critiques about ourselves and the impact that the words of others have on our concept of self. It is partly auto-biographical and partly inspired by Megan Nolan's novel Acts of Desperation".

This follows singles ‘Gender Studies’, and ‘No One Ever Talks To Us’, both of which are taken from the critically acclaimed debut EP Gender Studies that came out at the end of last year via TULLE.

On the EP, lead vocalist Róisín explained, “Gender Studies weaves past and present in an exploration of how the construct of gender shapes our lives. From feeling like you're not performing your gender right to the way it shapes how we move through the physical, sexual and romantic sphere it marries urgent lyrics with a threatening yet (blank) sound."

Check out the video for 'Desperation' below: