Quick-fire Questions: 10 minutes with Softcult
Just like the mullet, some things can’t be killed, with shoegaze a genre that has proven itself to be impervious to the passage of time. We might have had the hardcore-adjacent revival only a decade ago, but those groups and the original genre pioneers have found a home with a new generation of listeners, as a fresh wave of acts are doing something different with the established formula. One of the most prominent and exciting at the forefront of this latest surge is Canada’s Softcult.
Formed by twin siblings Mercedes and Phoenix Arn-Horn in Kitchener, Ontario, in 2020, the pair have been making waves on the internet and in the live setting since they released their debut EP, Year of the Rat, in 2021. Billing themselves as “riotgaze”, the group’s potent blend of shoegaze and grunge with DIY and riot grrrl-inspired ethics has made them stand out in a relatively diluted area, with them releasing two more EPs since then in 2022’s Year of the Snake and last year’s See You in the Dark.
While fans are hotly anticipating news of a debut album, in April this year, they announced details of their fourth EP, Heaven, which arrives via longtime home Easy Life on May 24th. A six-track body of work, it sees the group stretch and refine their heady formula even further, as evidenced by the already released tracks ‘Haunt You Still’, ‘Heaven’, ‘Shortest Fuse’, ‘Spiralling Out’, and April’s ‘One of the Pack’. Leaving only one track to be discovered makes you wonder what is in store and why exactly they’ve left this one until last.
The five released songs are an intoxicating blend of melodic, pop-punk-leaning vocals, fuzzy textures, and crunching guitars at points, and more tender aspects at others, making for a record that is undoubtedly the most affecting they have released yet. With an extensive run of live dates across North America coming up in June and July, it’s clear that the Arn-Horns are about to have another big year.
To get to know the band a little better, Softcult vocalist and guitarist Mercedes answered our quick-fire questions, candidly discussing her opinions on consumerism and the meat industry, what The Beatles brought to the world, and waking up sleep-deprived amid the striking vistas of Switzerland. The answers give ample insight into a group seemingly destined for the major leagues.
Quick-fire Questions with Softcult:
1. What song would you want played at your funeral?
“‘All I Need’ – Radiohead.”
2. What was the best album of 2023?
“Yard – Slow Pulp.”
3. Do you believe in UFOs?
“Yes!”
4. What’s your favourite comfort movie?
“The Punk Singer.“
5. Where’s the weirdest place you woke up?
“Once on tour in Europe, we drove all through the night, and we were so jam-packed in the back of the van that I fell asleep sitting up. When I woke up, we were in this absolutely beautiful, tranquil stream in Switzerland surrounded by mountains. We were so sleep-deprived and so delirious that I truly didn’t know if I was dreaming or not. It was a very surreal experience.”
6. What’s one gig in history you’d time travel to be at?
“Sonic Youth wsg/ Nirvana, Aug 20th 1991.”
7. Where’s the best pub in the world?
“Really enjoyed The Underworld in Brisbane, Aus. Arcade bar with local brews, board games and really tasty vegan food. We spent a whole day in there playing monopoly on our day off on the last AUS tour.”
8. What was the first song you learnt to play?
“On guitar? Andante in A Minor, I think it was!”
9. What track features the greatest vocal performance?
“Elizabeth Fraser ate on ‘Sugar Hiccup’ off Cocteau Twins’ 1983 album Head Over Heels.“
10. What venue do you dream of playing? And who’s your support act?
“I’d love to play Brixton Academy, and if we do, we’re bringing New Dad with us!”
11. Have you ever had a weird celebrity encounter?
“How much time do you have?”
12. What song do you hate most in the world?
“‘Pony’ – Ginuwine.”
13. What’s your most controversial cultural opinion?
“Oh lord, I have so many. One that definitely ruffles feathers is my opinion on consumerism and how what we choose to put into our bodies affects our entire ecosystem, environment, community, and overall health. I’ve been vegan for the last five years and vegetarian my whole life. Initially, it was animal advocacy that made me choose to be vegan, but now I’m motivated to stay vegan because of the proven impact it has on the fight to slow down global warming and the cultural and social implications as well.”
“Meat is now classified as a class one carcinogen, which means we know meat causes cancer the same way we know cigarettes cause cancer. The meat industry is the number one cause of deforestation, destroying natural environments and whole ecosystems. It is because of the meat industry that animals are caused to suffer and pollute the earth, creating greenhouse gasses at a higher level than transportation.”
“The trans fats in meat and dairy are the main causes of diabetes and other diseases that shorten our life expectancy. Pig, chicken, and cow farmers spray waste into the air that lands on entire marginalized communities, almost always poor communities that already suffer from food disparity and lack of access to markets and grocery stores. There is absolutely no excuse for us to continue to support this unethical industry. I’m sick and tired of people spreading false information about nutrition and making excuses that oppress us all.”
14. Who the fuck is Mark E. Smith?
“I looked up the name, and apparently, he was the lead singer and lyricist of the British post-punk group ‘The Fall’.”
15. Are The Beatles overrated?
“I think The Beatles contributed to a wave of sound, specifically with their sense of melody, harmony and chord structures, that ultimately changed music forever. Did they release a TONNE of music that could probably have used some quality control? Yes. Is it all my cup of tea? No. Am I going to be an edgelord gatekeeper poser about it? Absolutely not.”
