Live review: Softcult at Clwb Ifor Bach

Jake Avery, Music Editor, reviews the band's shoegaze rebellion

SOFTCULT’S Welsh debut brought a rolling storm of shoegaze and grunge to Clwb Ifor Bach. Fronting the set with a bold and keen mission statement was Mercedes Arn-Horn, who delivered an impressive array of lyrics infused with frustration. The band’s shoegaze-coated melodies garnered a fantastic response from the crowd as they delivered a riveting set centred around their latest EP release, ‘See You In The Dark’, illustrating a fine balance between their alt-rock edge and the pop-hooks implemented throughout their tracks. The focal point of the performance was a cause that is engrained into the very fabric of Softcult’s ethos and conception; an empowering message for women’s rights was broadcast, with front woman Mercedes delivering a poignant speech mid-set that brought attention to the dire treatment of women within society. The devasting murder of Sarah Everard was held as a key example to demonstrate the cycle of suffering and systemic oppression that wom en face. If it wasn’t already abundantly clear through the band’s scathing critiques of these issues within each track’s lyrics, Mer- cedes' announcement projected their mission statement loud and clear: enough is enough. Softcult's marriage between style and substance is what propelled the performance astronomically, as each track basked in the warm and electric tones of shoegaze without losing focus of the progressive and sharp-edged immediacy and importance of the messages being delivered.

Tracks such as ‘Gaslight’ and ‘Dress’ offered an array of glitzy tones whilst also raising an awareness of the dangers of coercive control and the caustic effect that sexual harassment has on its victims. The true brilliance of Softcult’s performance bloomed in the complexity of their approach to contemporary issues; a gripping, vast selection of genres were entwined to convey sounds that could never be classed as one emotion at any given moment. There was sorrow and resentment, but also flush- es of bliss and peace — all of which constructed an incredibly engaging, multi-faceted approach to complex issues. A dazzling mixture of tones and emotions that pull you in immediately were con cocted; this immersion only increased as their set progressed. The fuzz and dreamy tone of each track was elevated by the charged angst behind each vocal lead. Mercedes’ vocal delivery was resolute and crafted dreamy melo dies whilst always maintain ing an underlying iciness that compounded the revolt powering each lyric. This was supplemented by sibling Phoenix’s polished backing vocals, an aspect that along with their cool-tempered drumming, elevated the rhythm above the distortion and melodies that unfolded.

The dynamic between the twins was fantastic, as both formed a perfect cohesion between their respective parts, always being responsive to each other. This tenet of Softcult’s performance was shared between the other supporting members also; gui-