pMad – NineFortyFive (2026)
If The Cure had a younger brother who was best friends with Depeche Mode, the chances are the kid would be singer-songwriter Paul Dillon (also known as pMad). Technically emerging onto the music scene in 2021, although I believe Dillon might have been stomping about as an established musician before then, pMad has won hearts with his chart-topping, critically acclaimed, intoxicatingly infectious breaths of “post-punk, gothic indie-rock”. A powerful fusion, no doubt, but it is the emotional exploration of the “chaos of modern life” that adds relatable weight to pMad. The latest addition to his discography is the single, ‘NineFortyFive’.
Sitting on the line of distortion and clarity, fuzz and precision, clearness and murkiness, ‘NineFortyFive’ cannot truly be defined, but at the same time falls directly into a post-punk realm. Drums crash beneath, while a dynamic bass keeps the pace. Soaring guitars lift and fall, but simultaneously act as some type of anchor beneath the veil of sonic confusion. Maybe confusion isn’t the correct word, but melodically, ‘NineFortyFive’ has an obscure, disconcerting yet comfortable sound.
As I mentioned before, it is the lyricism and themes that add weightiness to pMad’s music; in ‘NineFortyFive’ we see it again. pMad explains: “’NineFortyFive’ is about the wish to live forever and the realisation that forever may not be what we imagine. It’s also about the way our soul survives in memory – how we remain alive as long as someone still thinks of us, loves us, or carries our story forward.”
Not sincere nor sentimental, but introspective and slightly abstract, pMad’s new single is worth a listen.
In addition to the single, pMad released an official music video for ‘NineFortyFive’. You can view the video below and/or on his YouTube channel. Please note that this video uses lighting effects that can trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is advised.
VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED
Find out more about pMad on his official website, Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Bandcamp and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
Listen to more post-punk music on The Other Side Reviews Post Punk playlist:
