MOULD’s Hoping as a Coping Mechanism was written in fragments across Bristol, then recorded at London’s 5dB Studios with producer Sean Oakley. The result is a focused, tightly paced debut that captures the immediacy of a band honed onstage. Across 13 tracks, the record navigates external pressures and inner turmoil, pairing restless songwriting with a direct, visceral sound. There’s a constant push and pull between ambition and reality, with the band reflecting on sustaining creativity alongside the demands of everyday life. Lead track Float zeroes in on the disorienting churn of online culture, its jagged energy echoing the claustrophobia of endless scrolling. Elsewhere, shifting rhythms and sharp dynamics reinforce the album’s sense of unease, grounding its themes in punchy, guitar-led momentum. Hoping as a Coping Mechanism distils MOULD’s intent: a clear-eyed, unsentimental take on making music amid modern pressures.