Softcult – ‘Year Of The Rat’

Canadian twins Phoenix and Mercedes Arn-Horn are championing music that effusively counters the misogyny and sexism that is all too often felt by women in a mostly male-dominated music industry. With their debut EP ‘Year Of The Rat’, they’re taking the first steps into a movement that’s based on their own experiences and encounters when making music and playing shows.

Setting the tone for the EP, lead single ‘Another Bish’ is a gorgeous combination of 90s grunge and shoegaze – a blend that’s integral to Softcult’s dynamic throughout ‘Year Of The Rat’. Complete with a warmly nostalgic guitar solo, the EP’s opener really does feel like the ideal introduction to Softcult, their sound, and their intentions. Then, true to its name, ‘Gloomy Girl’ winds the tempo down and takes the overall mood with it. Again, it doubles down on the clear shoegaze influence that is so rich in this band’s dynamic, making for an airy and fundamentally pleasant experience.

A comprehensive fusion of Softcult’s best attributes, ‘Take It Off’ works stunningly as the EP’s centrepiece. With a steady pace that carries throughout the song, the way the layers interlace and interact on this track is it’s most impressive quality. ‘Young Forever’ then springboards off the back of ‘Take It Off’ with a toe-tapping intensity that had, until this point, been missing on the release. Silky vocals from the Arn-Horn twins overlap each other in a gorgeous choric symphony that’s only heightened by the ethereal dream-pop instrumentation bedded underneath.

Closing out ‘Year Of The Rat’ is ‘Bird Song’. Initially stripped back to just an acoustic guitar and a vocal melody, the piece is lavishly textured with the sounds of actual bird songs in the background; it’s a fascinating touch that stamps an unforgettable sense of uniqueness and identity on the song. Once more instruments begin to accompany Mercedes Arn-Horn, and ‘Bird Song’ soars through a chorus that marks a worthy end to what is a thoroughly impressive first effort from Softcult.

Aside from the way that Softcult’s music sounds, the message and motivation behind it are absolutely critical. In the words of Mercedes Arn-Horn: “I refuse to stand by while abuse and sexism is so prevalent. It’s important that we educate not just the people that could become victims or survivors of the system of abuse, but that we also encourage people to hold their friends accountable and empower people to call others out. I really just want to make a difference. Hopefully our music inspires people to just not be assholes anymore.”

Conveying this message is the priority for Softcult, and with ‘Year Of The Rat’, they absolutely succeed.

AARON JACKSON