Solfcult - 'Dress'
Softcult’s ‘Dress’ captures the anguish and anxiety of a modern-day night out and it’s aftershocks.
The single ‘Dress’ is a new single from the Canadian twins, which will no doubt be a stand-out track on their upcoming EP release ‘See You in The Dark’, out 24th March 2023.
The track hits your ears with an instant post-punk throwback melody, an image arises of smoke and mirrors in an indie club - a mix of Le Tigre & the bassline of a Joy Division track. This explosive start transports you to decades ago, but with the lyrics in tow you are back to the unfortunate reality of what many women go through today, on a seemingly innocuous evening: ‘a night out with friends will never be the same again’. The lyrics are from a woman’s experience of not consenting to sex just because of how she looks and what she wears, her “dress” is not a “fucking invitation”.
This discourse is so poignant for women around the world, and the twins harmonising and repeating ‘my hair, my face, my tongue, my legs’ is a way of reaffirming and reclaiming their bodies, and indeed the bodies of all women who have been through something similar. The song continues with the same melody and riffs as the intro, until the bridge when they lament, stating that they ‘won’t ever feel the same again’. This change in lyric onsets a more chaotic vibe to the song and distorts it somewhat, whilst again reiterating the lasting damage of non-consensual acts.
The song is punchy, poignant and is no doubt a prelude to an intense and relevant album.
Words by Megan Budgen
