Indie artist SAOL, the moniker of musician Zoë Gough, has today released her latest single ‘Lines’. The track marks SAOL’s fourth single, bringing her another step closer to what is sure to be a highly anticipated debut EP and album. Blending indie, grunge and shoegaze, SAOL’s trademark sound can be identified by rich vocals, expressive guitar work and brilliant drumming. With a growing catalogue of songs reflecting Irish identity and addressing critical social issues, SAOL also hints at personal narratives exploring mental health, sexuality and the concept of the self in society.
SAOL’s new release ‘Lines’ delves into the dark heart of love and loss. The track features interlocking melodies, responsive backing vocals and a haunting chorus. It is driven by a gripping bass-led intro and intricate drumming throughout. Perhaps one of SAOL’s greatest strengths is the ability to weave in and out of shoegaze before igniting into segments of heavier grunge rock. This is perfectly demonstrated in ‘Lines’, by the dynamic shift in energy from verse to chorus. The song is then brought to a halt during its second half, before a phenomenal instrumental, led by assertive guitar work and supported by faint background vocals, sees the song home.
Focusing on the prolonged process of loss, Gough commented on the lyrical side of ‘Lines’, stating: “When I reread the lyrics after I’d written ‘Lines’, I realised I was subconsciously exploring feelings of pain and grief that I hadn’t fully realised were there. The throbbing kick drum at the end, representing a heartbeat, is intended to tap into the universality of what ‘Lines’ is exploring — the pain of being alive and not being alive, of loss and regret, the melancholy of being the one left behind, a prisoner to memory. I wrote with various perspectives in mind and explored them simultaneously, hoping to allow the listener to feel untethered to any one experience, like a dialogue in a novel that shifts from character to character seamlessly. There are characters in there, and a story to be explored, felt and imagined.”
SAOL is set for a busy June, with four upcoming performances lined up. She will play The Sound House on June 18, Lost Lane on June 25, The Anvil Inn in Portarlington on June 26, and The Sound House again on June 27.
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