Irish post-punk outfit Gilla Band have released a visceral new single titled «Alogia,» a track that directly confronts the clinical loss of speech associated with severe mental health conditions. The song serves as the third preview of the band's forthcoming album, «Pugnello,» which is scheduled for release on September 25 via Rough Trade Records.
The single derives its title from a medical term referring to the inability to speak, often observed in patients with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. Frontman Dara Kiely explained that the song is a personal reckoning with his own diagnosis. «Alogia means poverty of speech linked to mental health conditions,» Kiely said. «I was diagnosed with Schizophrenia while writing the lyrics. I thought I could just walk off the old mental illness but alas!»
Musically, «Alogia» is described as a jittering and abrasive track, characterized by Kiely's tortured vocal delivery. The lyrics narrate a psychological descent, beginning with a fantasy of «steady structure, routine and purpose» before spiraling into a brutal breakdown. In the song's climax, the narrator repeats syllables over and over until finally crying out the title word, «Alogia!» The track follows the band's previous singles «Giraffe» and «Placeholder,» marking a return to the abrasive, experimental sound that has defined their career.
The release of «Alogia» arrives as Gilla Band prepares for an extensive touring schedule that will take them across North America, Europe, and the United Kingdom. The North American leg is set to begin on October 14 at Underground Arts in Philadelphia. From there, the band will traverse major cities including Brooklyn, Montreal, Detroit, Chicago, Seattle, and Los Angeles, with a final US date scheduled for November 15 at The Atlantis in Washington, DC.
Following the North American run, Gilla Band will head to Europe in January 2027. The European tour will commence at the Trabendo in Paris on January 20 and will include stops in Brussels, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Copenhagen, Berlin, Warsaw, and Prague. The tour will then conclude with a series of UK shows in February 2027, starting at Trinity in Bristol on February 10, followed by a performance at Heaven in London on February 11, Band on The Wall in Manchester on February 12, and a final show at the Grand Classic in Glasgow on February 13.
In addition to the band's activities, guitarist Alan Duggan Borges has announced a new side project called The Null Club. The debut EP from this project will feature collaborations with members of The Horrors and Mandy, Indiana, further expanding the creative output of the group's members during this active period.