SOFY offers one final glimpse of debut album How To Perform Magic with ‘50/50’, a warm slice of indietronica about finding the positives amongst uncertainty. Written as a reminder to stay present and enjoy the process, it’s fittingly the only track on the album to leave guitars behind entirely.
Chopped-up piano provides the song’s defining bounce, joined by shimmering synths, a loose groove with hints of 90s dance beats and some genuinely spine-tingling chord changes. There’s an MGMT-like quality to the processed vocals and synth-heavy chorus, but ‘50/50’ ultimately succeeds on its own infectious optimism. It’s euphoric without becoming overwhelming, carrying the kind of warmth that makes everything feel a little brighter for a few minutes.
The visualiser provides a darker, playfully scruffy counterpoint, placing SOFY in a run-down bedroom wearing devil horns and fairy wings, surrounded by candles, a mattress on the floor and an old portable TV displaying the lyrics through static. Considering ‘50/50’ apparently began life as a guitar-led love song called ‘Salad Spinner’, its final form feels like a particularly satisfying little piece of musical magic.
