“Settle down now, would you behave? God, for once, just act your age.“
Putting out a debut album can be tough, especially when you’ve already toured the world multiple times off the back of a handful of EPs. It’s a tale as old as time, and for many, the concept of releasing a full-length that lives up to the already garnered hype is insurmountable. Softcult looks to break through that barrier with their debut album, WHEN A FLOWER DOESN’T GROW, and they have their sights set on success. In a time when indie-gaze is garnering more and more popularity by the minute, the only thing left to wonder is if the band has what it takes to stand out amongst the sea of phoned-in imitators trying to make it big.
It’s crucial to understand the band’s ethos going into this album, as if you don’t, you may not fully appreciate everything that it’s looking to achieve. The riotgrrrl duo have been around for some time now, preaching their ethics to an ever-present congregation. Standing up for minorities in all aspects, shining light on inequality, the depravity of some people, and how we must do better, it’s hard to argue that anything about the duo’s stance is disagreeable. To put it bluntly, if you’re a remotely decent human being, you’ll agree with their viewpoints wholeheartedly. This ethos and ethical stance are something that doesn’t bleed into their music, but rather drives the heart of it. It’s more than just a motif, it’s the life force of the band, and without it, Softcult simply would not be the band that they are.
WHEN A FLOWER DOESN’T GROW is a sonic juxtaposition in every sense of the word, with the lyrical content being at opposition to the lush, ‘gazey, atmospheric instrumentals at almost every turn. “16/25” is a damning example of this, with lead vocalist, Mercedes Arn-Horn, going straight for the jugular, targeting predatory men who prey on younger women. “She doesn’t know how to love you, she doesn’t know how to drive. She doesn’t know how to touch you; she’s 16, he’s 25.” leaves little to the imagination, yet is delivered in a lush melody over unassuming indie-pop instrumentals; a contrast which makes the message all the more damning. This is a constant throughout the record, with the duo effortlessly weaving these incredibly uncomfortable topics into a format that is accessible to almost anybody. This is where the band thrives, and though the songwriting may be a tad on-the-nose at times for some people’s tastes, in their case, I’d argue that the bluntness of the lyricism only goes to strengthen their resolve, driving the message home all the harder.
Lyricism aside, as by now you should already know what to expect from Softcult, it’s the instrumentation where this album truly shines. Taking inspiration from everything they’ve already produced and building upon it in every sense, the Arn-Horn duo showcases a natural talent for producing incredibly atmospheric, dreamy arrangements. “I Held You Like Glass” is one such case, where the “less-is-more” approach is incredibly effective. Mercedes’ ethereal highs float above low-key drumwork and echoing, The Cure Disintegration era-esque guitars and synths, each gradually getting louder throughout. This culminates with Mercedes’ glowing vocal delivery of the track’s title, before tailing off into a post-rock instrumental outro, and fading into silence. Opposing this entirely are tracks like “She Said He Said“, and “Tired!“, which sees the band channelling their punkier roots, hearkening back to tracks like “Spit It Out” and “Take It Off” from their earlier works. “Tired!” is a particular triumph for the band, as it sees them moving in a slightly heavier direction whilst retaining all the charm of their signature sound. It’s a short track, but that only goes to bolster its effectiveness, with the short flurry of anger and energy standing out as something almost more hardcore-inspired – something which we find thoroughly enjoyable.
WHEN A FLOWER DOESN’T GROW holds a lot to unpack, and nobody will find everything on their first listen. It’s an album fraught with secrets to discover, and these become more and more clear on every listen as different aspects of the sound can be picked apart and understood. That’s not to say that the album won’t click on first listen either, though – it certainly will, with its catchy nature and otherworldly instrumentals being hard to disagree with on any level. Existing fans will be elated to hear the culmination of years’ worth of effort. WHEN A FLOWER DOESN’T GROW encapsulates everything that the band stands for and has achieved to date, but it does more than that; it builds upon ideas and explores new facets of their sound, which previously may have only been toyed with in a live setting. Softcult has proven themselves once more with this album, and they’ve proven that they’re capable of pulling off full-length releases.
8/10
WHEN A FLOWER DOESN’T GROW releases January 30th via EASY LIFE and is available for pre-order here.