Sofy Major/One Second Riot split 10”

The second proper release from Sofy Major is a split 10" with fellow Frenchmen One Second Riot, and I'm not entirely sure if it was self-released by the bands or if there was a record label involved (Manak from Sofy Major was kind enough to hook me up with a CD-R of the tracks, so I haven't seen the vinyl itself). Sofy Major kicks things off right away with three tracks of their "screamo"-esque attack of harsh riffing and frenzied screams accented by churning midpaced surges and subtle hints at melody tucked away amidst all the layering. I'd say they might be streamlining their songwriting approach just a touch, as somehow this material feels a little more focused than before. I don't know, there's still a caustic and chaotic edge with lots of changes throughout, but there also seem to be more frequent areas of tangible force that give the listener something to latch onto, and I like that a lot. One Second Riot then follows with three tracks of their own, and it's rather interesting material. I had never heard the band before, but they're a duo primarily utilizing drums, bass, and vocals—with electronics and samples creeping in on occasion to add additional accents. Stylistically what they're doing is a good match against the Sofy Major portion of the split, though One Second Riot's approach is obviously much more spacious. The songs are a touch slower and longer, but still possess noisy elements and a similar sort of energy. Despite the fact that you can tell they're a duo, they do utilize space very well, and a lot of the bass work really does come across more like what you'd be accustomed to hearing from a guitar. A very cool split, overall...

Sofy Major "It Burns Away"
One Second Riot "Die Elektrish Leben Maschine"

I'm not entirely sure what the best way to get your hands on the record is, so I'd recommend contacting both Sofy Major and One Second Riot on MySpace to inquire about ordering information.