Softcult

Softcult is the project of twin sisters Mercedes and Phoenix Arn-Horn from Kitchener, Ontario. After Courage My Love, they built a DIY space where they write, produce and direct their own work. Between shoegaze haze and grunge bite, their songs stack saturated guitars, reverb-washed textures and melodic vocals. The EPs Year of the Rat (2021) and Year of the Snake (2022) set the tone with tighter rhythms and lyrics that confront gender violence, anxiety and social contradictions. See You in the Dark (2023) pushes the blend of pop hooks and shadowy atmospheres, with introspective threads running through. On stage, the duo keeps it lean, playing with contrasts between ethereal breaks and heavier swells, and extends the project with a visual world shaped by collage and video, with an open, political edge around social justice and the environment. Softcult lands at Underground, 1150 Queen Street West, Toronto, on January 31, 2026.