Maryam Said (she/they) (aka poolblood) has just released their debut full length album, mole, via Next Door Records and you’re going to want to tune in.

Centered in the crossroads of slowed down punk rock and bedroom pop lies poolblood, eager to share a debut album that is already making waves. My favorite aspect of the project is how the tracks and their demeanor almost tell a story by themselves – even without the lyrics. You start with “wfy” and “shabby” (my personal favorite) which both offer a calm beginning to the collection. You then move to the high point in “voyager” – a powerful song about finally letting go, featuring the strings of collaborator Eliza Niemi. You finally end the sonic journey with “my little room”, which places you back on the ground.

poolblood has crafted an album about stories of deep and abiding intimacies. As poolblood puts it, “I wanted to capture all of the uncomfortable moments in all of my relationships, writing about the discomfort and not sensitizing it”. mole is a playful and tender exploration of intimacy and its discontents. It captures the complexity and fragility of our personal relationships, and moves between self-doubt and joy, sorrow and healing. With its intricate layers of sound, mole takes listeners on a journey through love and loss.

Be sure to check out poolblood’s mole, which is out on all streaming platforms now and go show them some love on socials @poolblood.jpeg.

dwdk