To The Fore
Unveiling the faulty foundations of a heteronormative society, and in turn filling my heart with awe for its assertive acknowledgement of gender fluidity, M(h)aol pulls apart the cultural building blocks that define gender as binary. Radical, punk, and wickedly cool, ‘Gender Studies’ might just be enough to shake the most conservative of people into sticking a middle finger up to the patriarchy. Here’s hoping.
The song begins with a thrashy guitar hook that's grit is sure to devour the listener’s attention, engulfing us in a sonic vapour of post-punk energy. Structurally, the guitar hook protrudes throughout, its repetitiousness perfectly entwining with singer-songwriter Róisín Nic Ghearailt’s vocals. The lyrics discuss the mundanity of misogyny and the frustrating constraints the gender binary puts on each of us, performed with a mocking tone that truly encompasses M(h)aol’s embittered feelings towards society. The result is one and a half minutes of grunge-induced adrenaline that we instinctively play on repeat.
M(h)aol’s brutally honest approach to discussing current social and political issues, which most young people are facing, within their music is not only refreshing in its rawness but is heartwarming in its power. I hope every teenager listens to this song and feels reassured that they don't have to look, act or be a certain way in the hopes of fitting into what the world expects their gender to look like, nor do they have to conform to gender at all. M(h)aol’s debut EP, entitled Gender Studies, is set to be released later this month, and after listening to the title track, it feels guaranteed M(h)aol will be contributing substantially to an accepting and passionate community for gender minorities within the post-punk scene.
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Olive Annalise is a music production student from Bristol whose interests include poetry, sound design and film. In her spare time, she indulges in wine mom humour and enjoys telling people she can speak French, although her Duolingo owl would disagree.
Thanks for reading! Slow Motion Panic Masters is a music, arts and culture website created and co-edited by Ben Wheadon. He just graduated and wanted to let you know that Fleet Foxes are the greatest band of all time.
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