Softcult is the stage moniker for Ontario-based twins Mercedes and Phoenix Arn-Horn. To my ears, this is the best grunge/shoegaze amalgam on planet Earth at the moment. Softcult’s just-released debut album When A Flower Doesn’t Grow features 11 astounding songs, including the new single “Not Sorry”.
“‘Not Sorry’ is about not allowing the hateful ignorance of others to affect our self-esteem,” says Mercedes. “Patriarchal society can be extremely cruel to cultural, racial, sexual and gender minorities. Most of this vitriol stems from ignorance and weaponised misinformation. Certain political organizations promote hateful rhetoric when they see minority groups as a threat to their grasp on power. Hate speech is a tactic used to silence the groups that it targets, and it’s important to not only combat it by speaking out with counter-speech so that hate is not the only narrative, but also to protect the mental health of those affected, including ourselves.”
The new album’s title comes from a quote by Dutch author Alexander Den Heijer: “When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.”
Softcult will soon kick off a 23-city North American tour supporting Lights – dates below.
Watch the video for “Not Sorry” below, or find the full album When A Flower Doesn’t Grow on the streaming services.
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