Softcult
Overview
Softcult is a Canadian duo that class themselves as ‘Riotgaze’. The duo was formed in 2020 after being in a Pop Punk band called Courage My Love. Their focus on music shifted to a more political angle, covering many real-world movements such as feminism, environmental awareness, and anti-capitalism. Having released 4 EPs and an album, the act has a very solid foundation for their career. They are often noted as key artists within the modern Shoegaze and Grunge communities, despite not having mainstream success. They don’t sugar-coat the topics they write about. Their projects almost always have dark themes, attempting to tackle these issues from a grounded perspective.
Primary genres
- Alt Rock
- Shoegaze
- Grunge
- Lofi
- Riot Grrrl
- Dream Pop
Their 2021-2025 EP journey
‘See You In The Dark’ is the third EP entry from them and my personal favourite. This project is where they began exploring wider political themes, the opening track being a commentary on environmental neglect. At the same time, they continue to address misogynistic views on feminine clothing and the violence that comes from these views. Sonically, this album has shifted away from the minor punk influences and embraces a more airy production. This is the point at which Shoegaze became a primary sound for them rather than only being apparent in a handful of songs. My personal favourite from this one is called ‘Love Song’, and true to the song name, it’s a rare instance of them making a track like this. This song is led by their vocals, and supported by layered guitars with delay and reverb. This creates that staple Shoegaze-styled wall of sound, which has a level of emotional weight in the song.
Like their first two EPs, their last two EPs go hand in hand. ‘Heaven’ has a similar sound to ‘See You In The Dark’. The calm, airy vocals on the verses mixed with the upscaled blended choruses are very common on this project. Their anti-capitalist views are explicitly explored here for the first time, further continuing their artistic activism. ‘9 Circles’ is another contender for my personal favourite from them. A quiet bassline in the background of the second verse is an infectious detail, and they somehow seem to make each chorus sound bigger than the last. The second half of the song opens up into what feels like a spacious vacuum with the chorus blending into the bridge, then back into itself for the final time.
Their debut EP ‘The Year Of The Rat’ shows their previous Punk influences were still relevant in their music. Their themes have remained consistent from the start, with this EP giving commentary on gender power imbalances in relationships and the effects it has on women. In the latter stages of the project, we hear the Shoegaze direction their career will take. Layered distorted guitars and major swells in the tracks show their early progression into making this sound their own.
Their second EP, ‘The Year Of The Snake’, goes hand in hand with their first; similar art designs and themes seem like an extension of their debut. In my opinion, this project shows improved execution. Some tracks are lyrically addressing issues head-on while others are using a more abstract approach, keeping their delivery fresh. The instrumentals take a step up on this project too, with some of their career highlights being on it. Their most-streamed song and a personal favourite, ‘Spit It Out’, was a lead single for this EP. The highlight for me on this track is the guitar work, hearing multiple utilised perfectly. From the timid backing in the verse to the heavy distortion and layering, the guitars are what make the drops on this song so good.
Their debut album
2026 saw the release of their first full-length album. The length of this project, being over 30 minutes, gave them their first opportunity to explore their topics with greater detail. By the midway point in the track list, there are multiple songs dedicated to specific issues. The first example is in ’16/25′, where they address predatory men taking advantage of age gaps; this theme is also explored in ‘Hurt Me’. In ‘She said/He said’, they tell the story of men who coerce women into decisions under the guise of being a ‘nice guy’. A longer project provides them the time needed to go in depth on important issues like this, but still leaves time for other creative directions. There are a couple of instances on this album where they show their early punk influences for the first time in a long time, but only in glimpses. Throughout their previous work, they had established their Shoegaze sound so well that in this project, it doesn’t always feel quite as unique. Despite this, it still sounds great, and some tracks like ‘Not Sorry’ do have a rougher edge to them. Their outro is a great Indie Pop/Shoegaze combination to close out the record. With more music released than most small artists within the niche, I’m sure we can expect more from them in the future.
A collection of our favourites
