Softcult

Behind Softcult are twin sisters Mercedes and Phoenix Arn‑Horn from Kitchener, Ontario, who since the early 2020s have been shaping a project situated between shoegaze, grunge, dream pop, and alternative rock. After their stint in the band Courage My Love, the two musicians steered Softcult toward a more DIY approach, writing, producing, and handling much of their output themselves. Softcult drew attention with the 2021 EP “Year of the Rat,” where overdriven guitars, swathes of reverb, and melodic vocals establish an aesthetic that blends hazy textures with energy indebted to 1990s rock. The 2022 EP “Year of the Snake” extends this direction with more rhythmically assertive tracks and lyrics addressing gender‑based violence, anxiety, and social contradictions. In 2023, “See You in the Dark” tightens the weave between pop melodies, dark atmospheres, and introspective themes, cementing Softcult’s place on indie and alternative stages across Canada, the UK, and Europe. Onstage, the duo translates its songs with a stripped‑down setup, playing with contrasts between ethereal passages and heavier sections, while in parallel Softcult develops a visual world marked by collage, video, and an openly political engagement with social justice and environmental issues.