SOFTCULT RELEASE NEW ALBUM
Copyright: Kaylene Widdoes
Softcult marks a major career milestone today with the release of their debut LP, When A Flower Doesn’t Grow (Easy Life Records). The Ontario-based duo continues to lead the modern grunge revival with a full-length collection now available on all platforms. Accompanying the release is a striking new visual for the defiant lead single, ‘Not Sorry.’
Speaking of the new single, vocalist Mercedes Arn-Horn shares, “‘Not Sorry’ is about not allowing the hateful ignorance of others to affect our self-esteem. 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.”
She continues, “This song is about recognizing that while education can solve hateful ignorance, it is not our responsibility to educate every hateful person we encounter. We owe it to ourselves, and to democracy, to protect our peace and well-being. We can’t allow shame, insecurity, fear, or any other psychological effects of hate to silence us. We have nothing to apologize for when our mere existence triggers enraged and ignorant people.”
On their debut full-length, When A Flower Doesn’t Grow, Ontario-based siblings Mercedes and Phoenix Arn-Horn deliver Softcult’s most unflinching work to date. Born from a period of personal upheaval, the album explores the path from trauma to liberation, anchored by a central philosophy: “When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.”
The record’s ten tracks expand Softcult’s signature blend of grunge and shoegaze, weaving fuzz-laden riffs with raw, confessional lyricism. Following the success of last year’s Heaven EP, which earned them the cover of Spotify’s MARROW and fans like Hayley Williams and Oli Sykes, When A Flower Doesn’t Grow solidifies their status as a global alt-rock force. From self-producing and engineering to directing their own visuals and publishing their monthly zine SCripture, the duo remains fiercely DIY, proving that true revolution begins with the courage to change our environment.
