Toronto sibling indie rock duo Softcult consisting of Mercedes (she/her) and Phoenix (they/them) Arn-Horn have released their debut full-length album, When A Flower Doesn’t Grow, via Easy Life Records.
The album is a dense and emotionally charged collection of loud, moody indie alt-rock, pulling heavily from shoegaze textures.
Swirling guitars, hazy distortion, and brooding melodies create a sound that feels both cathartic and claustrophobic, capturing themes of frustration, self-reflection, and quiet resilience.
About the album by Softcult:
On their powerful debut album, Softcult deliver their most unflinching and transformative work to date.
Written during a period of personal upheaval and self-discovery, the record traces a path through trauma, disillusionment, empowerment, and eventual liberation.
The title itself comes from a quote that struck Mercedes at a pivotal moment: “When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.” That perspective threads through the album’s ten tracks, which explore cycles of oppression, abuse, and conformity, while championing the courage it takes to break free.
“The truth is, nothing can thrive in an environment where it is stifled,” Mercedes reflects. “We can’t flourish in environments that are oppressive. We need the world around us to be an environment that encourages us to grow.”
Across the album, Softcult confront deeply ingrained societal realities: the crushing societal expectations imposed on women in “Queen Of Nothing”, the importance of believing survivors in “She Said, He Said”, and the predatory behaviour of older men who groom younger women on “16/25”. Tracks like “Naive” capture moments of disillusionment and emotional awakening, while the searing, shoegaze anthem “Pill To Swallow” cuts through some of the world’s most uncomfortable truths with eerie clarity.
“Not Sorry” centers on refusing to let the hateful ignorance of others erode self-worth.
“Patriarchal society can be extremely cruel to cultural, racial, sexual and gender minorities.
Most of this vitriol stems from ignorance and weaponised misinformation,” shares vocalist Mercedes Arn-Horn. “Certain political organizations promote hateful rhetoric when they see minority groups as a threat to their grasp on power.
Hate speech is a tactic used to silence the groups that it targets, and it’s important to not only combat it by speaking out with counter-speech so that hate is not the only narrative, but also to protect the mental health of those affected, including ourselves.”
She continues, “This song is about recognizing that while education can solve hateful ignorance, it is not our responsibility to educate every hateful person we encounter.
We owe it to ourselves, and to democracy, to protect our peace and well-being. We can’t allow shame, insecurity, fear, or any other psychological effects of hate to silence us. We have nothing to apologize for when our mere existence triggers enraged and ignorant people.”
When A Flower Doesn’t Grow gets: 📷📷📷📷📷📷📷/10.
Softcult – When A Flower Doesn’t Grow [Streaming]
