Softcult | New EP 'see you in the dark' out now via Easy Life Records | EU / UK April tour on-sale now
SOFTCULT
New EP see you in the dark
out now via Easy Life Records
April UK / EU tour dates on sale now
Watch the video for 'Spoiled'
Photo Credit: Pearl Cook
Praise for Softcult
“I have to give praise to what I think is going to be the next big thing... a band that goes by the name of Softcult." - BBC Radio 1 / Future Alternative
"A fun, unexpected and eclectic mix” - DIY
"A fuzzy, fantastical, stomach punch of grungy delight" - Dork ★★★★★
“Shoegaze guitars envelop you in a dreamy haze" - The Forty-Five
"Softcult expertly balance the harshness of their words with the relaxed atmosphere of their sound." - Gigwise
"From hard-hitting lyrics to their very own zine addressing important topics, Softcult have already started making an impact. And as sisters Mercedes and Phoenix Arn-Horn continue building momentum, soon there will be no stopping them…" - Kerrang! Magazine
“Combining a heavenly shoegaze sound with a killer grungy aesthetic on "One of a Million", Softcult will appeal to fans of acts as disparate as Cocteau Twins and Avril Lavigne.” - The Line of Best Fit
"Another spine-tingling piece of alt-rock gorgeousness." - Rock Sound
"The Canadian siblings in Softcult aren't just writing marvelously catchy dream-pop steeped in political and social discourse — they’re building an empire."
STEREOGUM Band To Watch
"Softcult have perfected their own brand of wonderfully scuzzy shoegaze." Upset ★★★★
Softcult today releases the much-anticipated new EP see you in the dark, via Easy Life Records.
Stream / buy the album HERE.
The duo are also sharing a video for the EP's closing track 'Spoiled', of which lead singer and guitarist Mercedes Arn-Horn says:
"I wrote 'Spoiled' late one night after a long, defeating stretch of writer’s block. Phoenix and I are always a team, creatively, emotionally, etc, but it can get frustrating in the studio when we’re both stuck for ideas. Tensions definitely run high in those moments. It feels like we’re failing ourselves, and even worse, failing each other. We decided to call it a night, and as I was sitting there alone with my guitar in my hands these lyrics came to me almost instantly. It felt like something I’d been wanting to get off my chest for a while, but was afraid to say out loud. No matter how well things are going, there’s a part of me that is convinced I’m not worthy. It’s constantly telling me I’m not good enough, that I’m a disappointment, that something about me is broken. That secret “mental bully” part of me is the part that lashes out at the people I care about and pushes them away.
I feel really lucky for the people that stick around and believe in me even when I’m struggling mentally. Their love is what pulls me out of those moments and gives me the strength to push through.
This song is about those deep rooted fears and insecurities we all have about ourselves, and the gratitude we feel for the people that stay."
Watch the video for 'Spoiled' below.
The title see you in the dark 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”, says lead singer and guitarist Mercedes Arn-Horn.
She continues: “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 [drummer / vocalist] 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, BBC Radio 1, DIY, Dork, The Forty-Five, GAY Times, Gigwise, Kerrang!, The Line of Best Fit, Rock Sound, Stereogum, Upset and more.
Softcult return to the UK / EU this April to be supported by swim school on selected dates. Tickets on-sale now here.
UK / EU Tour Dates supported by swim school
Sat 08 Apr 2023 - Stereo, Glasgow, UK *
Sun 09 Apr 2023 - YES, Manchester, UK
Mon 10 Apr 2023 - The Bodega, Nottingham, UK
Tue 11 Apr 2023 - Prince Albert, Brighton, UK
Thu 13 Apr 2023 - Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, UK
Fri 14 Apr 2023 - Omeara, London, UK
Sat 15 Apr 2023 -Motel Mozaique, Rotterdam, NL
Mon 17 Apr 2023 - Blue Shell, Cologne, DE
Tue 18 Apr 2023 - Turmzimmer, Hamburg, DE
Wed 19 Apr 2023 - Trix, Antwerp, BE *
Thu 20 Apr 2023 - Supersonic, Paris, FR *
*(no swim school)
Asia
Fri 05 May 2023 - L5, G.Rid, Singapore, Singapore
Sat 06 May 2023 - The Bee, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Sun 07 May 2023 - Mow’s, Manila, The Philippines
Wed 10 May 2023 - 1/6 Studio, Khon Kaen, Thailand
Fri 12 May 2023 - The Street Ratchada Hall, Bangkok, Thailand
Japan
May 14 2023 - Beat Station, Fukuoka
May 17 2023 - Shindaita Fever, Tokyo
see you in the dark EP
Out 24th March 2023 via Easy Life Records
