Run SOFA

This trio hails from Charleroi, a sort of “Manchester by the Sambre”, a city touched by industrial despair and the drive to get by. Run Sofa was formed by two cousins, Antoine Romeo on vocals, and Julien Tassin, with his crystal clear guitar. Backed up by Martin Méreau / Siegfried Burroughs on the drums, the trio has already brought out their first EP, Shenanigans, and have made themselves heard at Printemps de Bourges, followed by a UK tour. Their first album, Say, was released out at the end of January 2018, and is a manifestation of their maturity and ambitions.

Julien adds a touch of jazz to the sound, thanks to his formal music training, and has earned himself the nickname Hendrix – which can only be promising! However, he keeps his style in check, as the group sways more toward a Zappa-style hip-hop, yet Run Sofa’s musical range remains wide: Antoine’s spoken-style can be found in rock-cum-rap tracks like Oscar Told Me, crossed with lighter moments (Way Too Few People Know), or with an almost industrial electro-rock pulse and TC Matic-esque riff (Say), to rap (Dissin), and trip hop (The Heaviness of a Lie).

It’s a mosaic of influences that harks of early Deus (Unapologetic), but with a more political slant (Work $$), which doesn’t stop them from being a little bit dancey too (Silly, Silly Dreams). Even the instrumental interlude can’t be called filler. For a first try, their ten-track album is cracking.