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Softcult
Canadian grunge duo From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Softcult is a Canadian grunge duo consisting of twin siblings Phoenix and Mercedes Arn-Horn.[nb 1] The duo are known for their melding of grunge with shoegaze, as well as their DIY and riot grrrl-inspired ethics. The band's most recent EP, Heaven, was released on May 24, 2024.
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History
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Twin siblings Phoenix and Mercedes Arn-Horn (born 1994)[2] grew up in Toronto, Ontario, and were home-schooled by their mother, an English teacher.[3] Prior to forming Softcult, the Arn-Horn siblings were members of the pop-punk band Courage My Love, which released several EPs and two studio albums throughout the 2010s.[4][5] Feeling creatively stifled by their record label, the Arn-Horn siblings decided to disband Courage My Love and begin a new project together in the summer of 2020.[3][6] The band chose the name "Softcult", which Mercedes Arn-Horn defined as "anything that you don’t really question where you follow your group of people", to represent the band's "social commentary".[7] The band's debut single, "Another Bish", was released on January 15, 2021.[8][9]
On April 16, 2021, Softcult released their first EP, Year of the Rat, through Easy Life Records.[7][10][11] The duo's second EP, Year of the Snake, "encompasses our feelings towards the cutthroat capitalist society we live in and the problems that need to be addressed".[12][13] One of the EP's songs, "B.W.B.B.", was written in response to the murder of Sarah Everard in March 2021.[13] Their third EP, See You in the Dark, was released on March 24, 2023, and was inspired by My Bloody Valentine and the Cocteau Twins.[6][14][15] The EP received a Juno Award nomination for Alternative Album of the Year award at the Juno Awards of 2024.[16][17] On May 24, 2024, the band released their fourth EP, Heaven.[18]
On April 25, 2025, the band released the single "Pill To Swallow" ahead of their first full-length album.
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Musical style and influences
Softcult have been described as grunge,[19] alternative rock,[20] lo-fi[2] and shoegaze.[4] The Arn-Horn siblings were inspired by the 1990s riot grrrl culture, and have cited Bikini Kill, Bratmobile and Pussy Riot as formative influences on the band.[7][21] They cited My Bloody Valentine's Loveless (1991), Slowdive's Souvlaki (1993), Swervedriver's Mezcal Head (1993) and Deftones' White Pony (2000) as influences on their fourth EP Heaven.[22]
Since February 2021,[23] Softcult has published a monthly zine, SCripture. which discusses environmental, social and political issues.[24][25] The zine was directly inspired by 1990s riot grrrl culture, and features a black-and-white aesthetic inspired by Raymond Pettibon.[22][26] Phoenix says that the zine "kind of [reinforces] the message behind [their] songs."[27]
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Band members
- Mercedes Arn-Horn – vocals, guitar
- Phoenix Arn-Horn – vocals, drums, production
Discography
Studio albums
Compilation albums
Live albums
EPs
Singles
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Notes
References
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