“Something to remember when I’m too delusional.“
Shoegaze-y alt. rock duo Softcult comprising of sisters Mercedes & Phoenix are back with a new EP See You In The Dark. A drastic change in mood and emotion from their previous EP, Year Of The Snake, which saw the group venture into more upbeat territory, See You In The Dark is conversely focused on the moodier and more melancholic side of the duo. While the former thematically leaned toward feminism and similar themes throughout, the latter is more based around introspection; our darkest personal moments.
Opener “Drain” is as perfect an introduction to an EP as it gets. The shift in sonic focus is evident from the get-go, as it sets the mood of what’s to come on See You In The Dark, with lush and dreamy soundscapes permeating the makeup of the track. Focusing on change, or rather the refusal to change leading to one’s downfall, it paints a picture of the inevitability of certain aspects of life. It ends with soft shimmers, almost like reminiscing and pondering upon the future.
“Dress” starts off more upbeat, with a far happier vibe than the opener. Yet, the message behind the song is as dark as it gets across the EP. A song largely based around consent, and the harrowing experiences that haunts one after its violation, and how such an experience can change one’s perception of themselves is quite a tough theme to swallow, but one that proves incredibly important and true all the same. The outro lashes out into fading verses of “I’ll never be the same again”, echoing its message in aptly harrowing fashion.
“One of a Million” explores the acceptance of similarities between people, seeking to drive forward a sense of compassion. Hazy and shimmering throughout, it stands as one of the softer cuts on the EP, with the atmosphere forming more of a supporting pillar for the vocals. “Someone2Me” is another sample of the band’s complex and evocative approach, engulfed in a cloud of reverb-laden guitars and fuzzy distortion.
Aptly titled “Love Song” is about loving someone so deeply that you’re in constant fear of losing them. It’s the duo at their most atmospheric and dreamiest yet, and easily my favorite song from their discography to date. “Spoiled” is up there with their best songs right alongside with “Love Song”, too. An extremely catchy guitar melody croons through the closer, instilling a sense of profoundness, of comfort, of truly being spoiled.
See You In The Dark is a massive step in the right direction for the Canadian duo. It is a mature and natural progression, with a change in their core sound that really hits a clear stride in the final two songs of the EP. By its end, it is as if all bits and pieces fall together and coalesce into something greater; something that can grip your emotions down to their core, and make you dance at the same time. With a North American headline show under their belt over the past month and a great EP here in See You In The Dark under their belt, Softcult are well on their way into everyone’s playlists and hearts with no signs of slowing down, and what comes next shall truly tell all on what is to be of Softcult.
7.5/10
See You In The Dark is out this Friday via Easy Life Records and you can preorder it here.