M(h)aol – DM:AM

M(h)aol returns with “DM:AM,” and the Irish trio has announced their sophomore album “Something Soft,” arriving May 16th via Merge Records, following their acclaimed 2023 debut “Attachment Styles.”

What makes “DM:AM” particularly fascinating is its spontaneous creation. Despite being scattered across five cities between Ireland and London, the band transformed physical distance into creative advantage. Drummer Constance Keane describes the moment: “Jamie was doing all the work setting up the recording equipment, and Sean and I were sitting around doing nothing.” This self-deprecating comment belies the creative alchemy that followed.

The track tackles the darker side of online interactions, explicitly addressing “men DM’ing women online and then getting aggressive when they don’t get the response they want.” With unflinching directness, M(h)aol explores how these interactions often spiral—from initial contact to insults, and finally to manipulative excuses when called out.

With “DM:AM,” M(h)aol demonstrates how their politically engaged perspective stems from lived experience rather than posturing. Their exploration of “the experience of being a woman (and sometimes just a person) in the modern world” remains central to their work, delivered with a balance of righteous anger and genuine compassion.