Citing influences across My Bloody Valentine, riot grrrl zines, and modern bubble grungers like Soccer Mommy – Softcult isn’t your uncle’s shoegaze, as seen in of-the-times titles like “Another Bish” and “Gaslight.” Canadian twins Phoenix and Mercedes Arn-Horn, disenchanted with label treatment of their past pop-punk band Courage My Love, launched re-debut Year of the Rat on Easy Life Records in 2021. One EP later, the self-produced Ontario “riotgaze”-ers take Bay Area alt-grungers Present (see April LP Silver Lining) on tour. – Rachel Rascoe