Bad Mothers Union’s debut album ‘Sore Losers’ is out now, and new single ‘Cut in Half’ makes an immediate case for why this Irish collective has been turning heads since the start of 2026.
Where previous single ‘God’s Intercom’ drew attention from Hot Press, IMRO, First Music Contact, and a string of other industry tastemakers, ‘Cut in Half’ pushes deeper into the band’s experimental post-punk instincts. Extended well beyond the standard single runtime, the track opens with a shimmering invitation before pulling the listener into something considerably darker. Two basslines snake around each other, oscillations rise and fall, and a semi-audible sample extolling the virtues of a solid Irish breakfast surfaces occasionally to deepen the unease. It’s reminiscent of BDRMM’s more recent output and post-Pistols PIL at their most disorienting, and it’s completely riveting.
The recording process is as compelling as the result. Michael Lanigan instructed drummer Aaron Harbourne to play a simple beat ad infinitum, letting the band swirl around it. Three guitars intertwine and melt together until discerning who plays what becomes nearly impossible. String scrapes create tension throughout. And when Shay English, ill during the session and unaware the tape was rolling, smashed his bass off the floor in frustration, that accidental noise became a new layer in the track. Bad Mothers Union don’t just allow happy accidents; they absorb them.
The collective operates without standard membership structures, thriving on collaboration and the distinct voice each player brings. Drawing from Sonic Youth, The Osees, Mogwai, Primal Scream, Shellac, and a healthy dose of David Lynch’s surrealism, their live shows combine somber atmospheric lows with cascading, almost soaring highs. ‘Sore Losers’ captures that same unpredictable energy on record.