Softcult : When A Flower Doesn’t Grow
The Arn-Horn siblings of Softcult have been standing their ground amidst a current of alternative rock revivalism since 2021, pulling together blunt songwriting and affirming compositions that only get sharper and more atmospheric down the line. They refined their soundscapes on in their 2024 EP Heaven, wherein the twins are now looking outward, seeking hope amidst Phoenix’s well-maintained production notes. It’s an important step that informs a progression, retaining what made them who they are in the first place, and willingly reaching for a sense of change that will come through naturally.
Now, Softcult make their full-length debut, entering 2026 with the release of When A Flower Doesn’t Grow. Their signature dream pop and riot grrrl punch-ins sculpt their overall shift in temperament, as more than ever, showing even more resolve to break away from a patriarchal system that would hold them back, as evident in the lyrics to “Queen Of Nothing”: “Don’t you let ‘em make you small / If you give an inch / Then you know they’ll take it all / You owe them nothing.”
Throughout the arc of the album, the duo balances out raucous snarl with dreamy introspection, both voices going hand-in-hand toward observing the systems and institutions still governed by such outdated attitudes, and direct their anger accordingly. The title track in particular digs deeply into this, which amid the lilting acoustics that give way for reverbed guitars to enter, finds the duo singing: “When a flower doesn’t grow / Do we blame the dyin’ rose / Or the soil that it called home / And the roots that yearned for the unknown?” It ends the album with an acknowledgement of empathy for individuals who are strained by their environment, whose dreams and hopes are slowly crushed yet never entirely dissolve. It’s a tender moment, a spark that Softcult might well grow into a flame soon enough.
It’s a shame, then, that what sadly pulls all this back is Softcult’s sonic execution. There is a consistent note to how these songs are mixed: distant and hushed, ultimately holding back the power in the message of their songs. Take the more punk-forward cuts like “She said He said” and “Hurt Me,” in which the mix not only flattens the aggression, but tacking a fried vocal distortion cuts out even more of their raw expression.
These curious mixing choices become a factor in how Softcult’s melodies end up in divided directions, especially within the dream pop and shoegaze territory they’re operating in. On one hand, it’s a blemish amid those atmospheric structures, which are never fully allowed to blossom in “Naive” and “I Held You Like Glass.” On the other hand, when it does flatter their compositions, you get the sauntering pulse of “Pill To Swallow” with its rattling drums and soaring hook, as well as the soft and loud dynamics of “Not Sorry,” rendered with gentle charm that gradually dives into an enormous wall of sound.
There’s a lot of push and pull to When A Flower Doesn’t Grow. It carves a picture that represents the band at their strongest, as they’re taking more swings in giving voice to a righteous anger. Yet, it’s ultimately the sound that doesn’t always benefit them, as their intensity gets muddy, and their observations buried. They’ve planted the seeds, they just need more time to grow.
Label: Easy Life
Year: 2026
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