- Words Yazzi Gokcemen
Gearing up to take the world by storm, dynamic duo SoFTT give us a rundown of all things Miami, from the best clubs to which DJs aren't to be missed.
If Miami’s one-of-a-kind club culture could be summed up by one name, it would be SoFTT. Short for South Florida Trance Team, SoFTT is the moniker owned by Trevor McFedries and Kablito (aka Karen Freire), the DJ collaborators-turned-couple who are channelling Miami’s decadent and multicultural party scene into kitsch dance music that will stand the test of time.
Hailing from Iowa and Guayaquil, Ecuador, respectively, Trevor and Kablito already had thriving music careers before meeting each other. Trevor produced for none other than Azaelia Banks whilst Kablito earnt her stripes making Latin pop as a solo artist. As SoFTT though, the pair take on a range of influences. Their Eurodance-inspired debut single ‘Kiero K Me Kieras’, is a sumptuous amalgamation of reggaeton, ’00s synth-pop and Berghain-ready hardcore basslines.
Ever since, SoFTT’s sound has hypnotised Miami’s dancefloors and united industry aficionados in agreement: that their playful mix of mainstream and underground genres are the perfect recipe for hedonistic-fuelled escapism. Completing 2023 with a string of releases showcasing catchy Spanish vocals and energetic production, they continue to align with fellow vanguards of the Miami DJ circuit, manipulating hard house, electro-pop and even ghetto tech in their sets to create a journey entirely their own. Notably, they’ve played sets alongside HorsegiirL, MCR-T and Miss Bashful in cities across North and South America.
SoFTT’s latest dance masterpiece ‘JaJaJa’ is one of our biggest earworms this year, the thumping 4/4 bass and Kablito’s autotune croons feeling so visceral you can almost see the strobe lights and heat rising from a crowd in one of Miami’s super clubs. To honour its release, we wanted to find out more about Miami’s vibrant music scene, from the ostentatious parties to its gritty raves. Tap in below.
Define Miami club music in three words…
Sexy, decadent, challenging.
Like Miami, SoFFT is a fusion of Latin influences, trance and more. With such a broad range of inspiration, what is your starting point when making a new track?
We usually start with the chords, which is probably unusual for a lot of dance music. Ideally the songs we make could be played on a piano or a guitar and have the same resonance.
We love your new single, ‘JaJaJa’, it’s such a bop! If you could have anyone from Miami remix the tune, who would it be?
From Miami, that’s a tough one because it could go in so many directions, but Trina on a track with that energy would be amazing.
What are each of your earliest memories of clubbing in Miami? Who were you with, who did you see and how did the night unfold?
Trevor: My earliest memories in Miami are DJing in Pawn Shop with people like Lazaro Casanova. They were the first people to fly me out to DJ somewhere.
Kablito: Probably heading to Club Space at 8 am with friends from out of town. There’s something really special about walking into a room of ravers who have been up all night with the Miami sun creeping into that legendary dancefloor.
And performing together as SoFFT, what was the first gig you guys played together? Describe that moment to us…
The first gig we played was at Yu Yu in Mexico City with MCR-T and Miss Bashful. This project was never supposed to be a project, we made two songs for fun but because of the fans in Mexico, who have championed us so hard, we’ve been able to take the music all over the world now.
We’ve come to Miami for a night out. Where are you taking us for pre-drinks and then for the night out itself?
This is difficult because pre-drinks should probably be in a Publix parking lot. But we’ll start at Over Under for a bite and drinks before we head to Suero to see Cate, Nick León, etc. And then, for the out-of-towners, we usually take them across the street to E11EVEN Miami for a very “memorable” Miami experience.
What is the ‘dress code’ for Miami clubs, and where do your styles fit within?
It depends on where you are, but we have had times when we’re not getting into beach spots because of their dress codes. That said if you’re heading to PROIBIDÆ, Stamina, Suero, Jezebel or other nights that we’d recommend it’s gonna be really accepting but, of course, sexy.
The Latinx community is at the core of Miami’s music scene. Who are some reggaeton DJs you’re loving at the moment from the city?
The thing about Miami DJs is they can play so much so well. People like Winter Wrong, DZA, Danny Daze, Nick León, Marte, SATURNSARII, V1FRO can all play so many genres of music, that I’d love to see any of them play a straight reggaeton set.
What about the city inspires your music?
It’s truly a city unlike any other in America, if you’re in NYC or LA you’re often caught in a feedback loop whereas in Miami you’re going to be challenged culturally at every step. I think because of the seasonality of the city, the constant migration of people from Europe, Latin America, Canada, and of course all across America, you get a very interesting cross-section of what the world is into.
What’s next for SoFTT? Any new music on the horizon that you’d like to plug?
We kinda put out music as we finish it, but I think we’ll probably take a second to finish an EP and get it out in the fall. Definitely, come and see us this summer as we’re doing the European festival circuit and playing clubs. This fall we’ll be back to North and Latin America, and hopefully we’ll get to Australia/Asia at some point in the future.