- DJ Sotofett and Aaron "FIT" Siegel have worked together, on some level, for years. They've toured Europe as a duo, hosted each other at parties in Detroit and Berlin, remixed tracks and jammed together in various configurations. They've also managed to log some hours in Siegel's studio, housed in the pivotal US dance music store and distributor Submerge. It was only a matter of time until FIT and Sotofett launched an official collaborative project. Their debut as S & M Trading Co. was recorded way back in 2011, with each producer chipping away at the final versions in the years since.
Siegel and Sotofett have a knack for crafting tracks with an epic scope. "Metal Surface Repair" fits the bill, cycling through three movements over the course of ten minutes. The melancholic intro recalls FIT's breakthrough track, "Carmine," and low-key Detroit classics like Model 500's "Pick Up The Flow." After traversing a knotty, acidic middle section, we're treated to a gorgeous ambient techno resolve. A two-note 303 line complements Sotofett's loose, dubby percussion as skyward synths bring home the pensive, optimistic mood.
If you don't feel like waiting six minutes for that payoff, flip the record for the "Synthetic Mix," an ambient version of "Metal Surface Repair'"s stunning conclusion. Like Sotofett's recent collaboration with LNS, the "Soft Peak Mix," the ambient piece is a winning gesture towards Artificial Intelligence-era influences. Metal Surface Repair is stuffed with ideas, but the best track off the duo's promising debut is its simplest.
TracklistA1 Metal Surface Repair
B1 Metal Surface Repair (Acidic Mix)
B2 Metal Surface Repair (Synthetic Mix)