Softcult is heading to close 2023 looking for paradise. The Canadian duo, made up of twins Mercedes and Phoenix Arn-Horn, released the EP ‘See You In The Dark’ earlier this year. Now, he decides to conclude the year with ‘Heaven’, a song that tries to get away from that same darkness. But does he really achieve it?
The song is the second single they release after said EP, since this was already followed by the release ‘Haunt You Still’ last November. However, the sound remains as mysterious as the song that precedes it. Playing with the times and standing out with drums that seem to be crushed by their own production, ‘Heaven’ presents an indie-rock that completely moves away from the genre that artists like girl in red are bringing to the mainstream.
“They gave me a body that doesn’t fit me / I can’t stand the mirror’s point of view,” Softcult sings in a song that refers to body dysmorphia. Despite this, the dark aura that surrounds the instrumental turns into a brighter color in the lyrics: “With a halo around you / You took me out of the earth.” The duo aims to imagine a place where negative feelings disappear, “setting them on fire” as happens in the song. “It describes a world in which we are all accepted for who we are, in which the origin or identity of each one does not dictate how we are perceived by society,” Softcult has stated on the subject.
Something quite striking are the four minutes that the song comprises. Although it does not explode until halfway through, the last minute is a true void that the instruments grow increasingly larger with a sound that fades, as if inviting the listener to reflect. In the end, for a few long seconds, simply silence. It’s curious, because the Softcult sisters come to propose something very different from what is being heard now. With their recent creative prowess, it doesn’t seem like silence is something they’re willing to keep.
