Dear Surf Gang Records,
I hope this email finds you well. My name is Sociotrac. I'm reaching out to you because I believe my music and creative direction align with what you're building within your brand, and I think together we can make a new sound that has never been heard before. I've spent the last two years developing and crafting a sound that bridges electronic experimentation with the raw energy of underground dance music. The sound created by your artists has inspired me to mix together my own unique flow that I believe will be to your interest . At 19, I'm still in the early stages of my journey. However, I'm fully committed to learning new strategies, as well as growing as a producer and contributing to a label like yours, which values innovation while keeping the steady diverse array of genres into one cohesive label.
A little background about me is that I grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where my obsession with Electronic music began. Early exposure to dance music, from artists like New Order, Daft Punk, and Deadmau5, has helped me develop a trained ear for EDM, and I've become very familiar with it ever since. One thing I like the most and what I seek out nowadays is when artists revive the Y2K Witch House genre, which is highly credited to a great deal of your label's artists and the collaborations they have with others within the music world. My sound has evolved into a mix of pop structures with distorted textures, unconventional rhythms and melodies , and heavy synth manipulation. As of right now, I'm studying audio arts at Columbia College Chicago, where I'm surrounded by collaborators every day at school who push me to refine my approach daily. The environment has been crucial to my development, especially being in Chicago where I have first hand experience being in its underground rave scene. Coming to Chicago was particularly important in the sense of getting academically trained due to its deep roots in music as well as highly acclaimed schools and professors. During my first year at Columbia Chicago, I came across a class by Jeff Derringer, who taught me professional mixing techniques for dance music. Derringer being a House and Techno professional who’s played live music since 2009 in famous clubs such as Chicago's ‘Smart Bar’ where he was resident dj, ‘Berghain’ and many more across the world. Derringer’s guidance helped me transition from making beats in my bedroom to understanding how tracks need to hit in a live setting while also being able to sound good on an iphone. Had I not been guided by him my quality would have suffered. After my first two semesters of being taught by Derringer, my experience has taught me that academically training is just as important because it gives me the tools to work and create like a professional.
What excites me about Surf Gang is how you strike a balance between immediacy and depth within your various artists. Artists like Eera and Snow Strippers create music that's visceral but layered, something I strive for in my work. My tracks often start with a club-focused framework, but I twist them with warped samples, ambient breakdowns, and percussive experiments to keep them unpredictable. Outside of solo work, I've been engineering vocals for experimental rap projects with artists at my school, which has expanded my knowledge beyond just EDM. Those sessions have taught me to treat vocals as another instrument, whether I'm chopping them into hooks or burying them in reverb.
What draws me to your label is that it operates like a collective, and Surf Gang's DIY ethos resonates with how I work. I don't just want to release music; I want to be part of a community that shares my passion for sound. I'd love the chance to contribute within your brand, whether through my productions, collaborations, or assisting with engineering for other artists. Attached are a few tracks that showcase my current state of mind, ranging from uptempo club cuts to slower, atmospheric pieces.
Thanks for your time, and I'd love to hear your thoughts overall. Looking forward to the possibility of working together.
Best,
Sociotrac.
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