Canadian twin siblings Mercedes (she/her) and Phoenix (they/them) Arn-Horn have a superpower. Through their lush-grunge project Softcult, the duo tackles some of life’s heaviest subject matters head-on, and their latest single ‘Dress’ is no different. It’s the darkest song on their upcoming EP see you in the dark out 24th March (pre-save here), and for good reason.
“This song is about consent; it’s about saying ‘no’ and having it happen to you anyway,” Mercedes explains. “It’s about being followed while walking alone at night or being cornered in a bar when we’re just trying to have a night out with our friends. It’s about the lingering fear and trauma that haunts us long after these experiences have happened. It’s about how these experiences make us feel powerless and change the way we see ourselves.”
“I’ll never be the same again, I’ll never feel the same again.”
Watch / Listen to ‘Dress’ HERE
The dichotomy between the song’s heavy subject matter and its upbeat instrumentals is purposeful, alerting abusers to the result of their actions but also signalling to anyone listening with similar trauma that they’re not alone.
Starring Sam Bielanski (PONY), the video for ‘Dress’ was directed/produced/edited by Mercedes, and depicts a very real scenario that will resonate with far too many viewers.
New EP See You In The Dark out next year and the title is inspired by Nietzsche’s famous quote: “Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster, and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”.
“It is an analogy for the things we’re afraid to face. It represents confronting our innermost fears, usually in those vulnerable moments lying awake at night when our minds are racing. It’s sort of an acknowledgement of our darkness, and the darkness of others, like “hey, I see you”, Mercedes says.
“While it’s important to acknowledge our darkness, we also can’t submit to it. We have to strive to be better people, and leave behind a legacy of positive change. I think it’s important to do everything we can to try and make a positive impact on the world, even when that feels impossible. Because if we don’t at least try, who will?”
Seamlessly combining grunge, shoegaze, dream-pop, and punk, Canadian duo Softcult has quickly become leaders of a new Riot Grrrl movement for the digital age.
Born in the studio, they are building their own universe around their music with a message. With Phoenix running point on production, engineering, and artwork, Mercedes directing/editing their videos, and both writing astoundingly intimate lyrics about self-empowerment amidst social, political, and environmental collapse, the duo is about as DIY as it gets. They even create and produce their own zine called SCripture, currently on Vol. 24, and are active participants in their Softcult Discord server, a safe online community for their fans as recently spotlighted by Alt Press.
Over the course of the last two years, Softcult have released several EPs, garnering acclaim and buzz both in their home country of Canada and across the globe as well. They’ve been championed by artists like Hayley Williams and Oli Sykes, and have been highlighted as a band to watch by Alternative Press, Kerrang!, The Gay Times, DIY, The Line Of Best Fit, and more.
