Softcult have shared their new single Dress and confirmed details of a UK tour including Manchester gig at YES.
The single and tour news come ahead of the release of their new EP See You In The Dark in March.
The Canadian twin siblings Mercedes and Phoenix Arn-Horn have used music to tackle some of life’s heaviest subjects head-on, with new single Dress looking at consent and sexual assault. “This song is about consent; it’s about saying ‘no’ and having it happen to you anyway,” Mercedes explains. “It’s about being followed while walking alone at night or being cornered in a bar when we’re just trying to have a night out with our friends. It’s about the lingering fear and trauma that haunts us long after these experiences have happened. It’s about how these experiences make us feel powerless and change the way we see ourselves.”
The single is accompanied by a video directed, produced and edited by Mercedes and featuring Sam Bielanski.
Softcult will release new EP See You In The Dark in March, with the title inspired by Nietzsche’s famous quote: “Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster, and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”.
“It is an analogy for the things we’re afraid to face. It represents confronting our innermost fears, usually in those vulnerable moments lying awake at night when our minds are racing. It’s sort of an acknowledgement of our darkness, and the darkness of others, like “hey, I see you”, Mercedes says.
“While it’s important to acknowledge our darkness, we also can’t submit to it. We have to strive to be better people, and leave behind a legacy of positive change. I think it’s important to do everything we can to try and make a positive impact on the world, even when that feels impossible. Because if we don’t at least try, who will?”
Softcult will release six track See You In The Dark on 24 March 2023.
When do Softcult headline at Manchester’s YES?
Softcult headline at YES Manchester on 9 April 2023. The Manchester gig is one of six UK dates they are playing alongside special guests Swim School (except Glasgow’s Stereo):
8 April – Glasgow, Stereo
9 April – Manchester, YES
10 April – Nottingham, Bodega
11 April – Brighton, Prince Albert
13 April – Cardiff, Clwb Ifor Bach
14 April – London, Omeara
image of Softcult courtesy Pearl Cook
