Few features feel as revealing as an artist tracing the records that quietly shaped their identity. In the case of Alex Drift, that journey is anything but linear.
Spanning two decades in Berlin’s ever-evolving electronic underground, Drift’s sound has been forged through constant reinvention, moving between house, indie dance, disco, and leftfield pop with a restless curiosity that refuses to settle. That same instinct sits at the core of his latest project, ‘Curiosity (Chapter 1)’ LP, released via Electromantica. More than just a new album, it is a reconstruction, a body of work recovered from years of lost files, reshaped with fresh perspective, and driven by the idea that evolution often comes from disruption.
The result is a record that feels both retrospective and forward-facing, where 15-year-old sketches sit comfortably alongside modern production, unified by a melodic, emotionally direct approach. Across its runtime, ‘Curiosity (Chapter 1)’ leans into indie textures, disco grooves, and club-ready energy, all while carrying a deeper thread: reflection, resilience, and the pursuit of something honest in a noisy world.
To better understand how that sound came together, we asked Alex Drift to dig into the tracks that helped define it. From the shimmering indie-electronica of Miami Horror to the groove-led warmth of Bonobo, and the boundary-pushing compositions of Floating Points, these selections map out a sonic blueprint, one that blends dancefloor functionality with songwriting depth.
Miami Horror – ‘I Look To You’ (feat Kimbra)
I first discovered Miami Horror about two years ago, when I was producing “Chase The Moment” for Sitara. At the time, I was really into disco/indie dance and that’s when I came across “I Look To You.” I fell in love with that song immediately, and it was clear that I wanted to do something like that too. Their album Illumination was actually the foundation and the main inspiration for my album. I wanted to create electronic pop and somehow stand out from the classic house sound that surrounds us. It’s really hard these days to still find your own style. And I find combining indie, house and pop incredibly exciting.
Fred Everything – ‘Barbarella’ (7am In Tisno dub)
As I mentioned before, I’ve been listening to a lot of disco lately. I’m totally into nu-disco and I’m also a huge fan of Todd Terje. That’s how I came across “Barbarella (7am In Tisno dub)” by Fred Everything. It’s a song that really influenced my bass sound and arrangements. I absolutely love those 8th-note disco basslines and the classic disco sounds, and I knew right away that I wanted those sounds on the album too.
And that’s where the indie dance influence comes into play again. God… I love this song. I didn’t want it to be as complex as “Magdalene Bay,” but I knew I wanted that pop sound and similar synth leads in my songs. If you listen closely to the album, you’ll find similar-sounding leads in “Summer Time” or “Too Much Coffee.” And the pop vibe in “Will Never Come Back.”
Future Islands & Lola Young
Two songs I’ve listened to over and over again, even though “King of Sweden” is much older. After 15 years of house, disco, nu-jazz, and electro, I was just looking for something different. And somehow, it all sounded incredibly fresh to me. And as a fan of the Chemical Brothers or the Prodigy, I still had their ideas in my head – performing like rock bands and making music like a band. So I asked myself, as someone who makes electronic music, how would I approach a song and sound like that? And my answer is songs like “I See You” or “Will Never Come Back.”
Gorge & DE SAINT. – ‘Boysngirls’ (Extended Mix)
This is the standout track from Sound that I’ve been playing for years. I love the vocals, that high-pitched percussive synth sound, and of course the incredible bass. I keep wondering how producers manage to create a bass line like that. It’s fantastic. On top of that, The vibe of this song was the inspiration for “Summer Time.”
Timelapse / Adran – ‘Burning’
Phew. I highly recommend everyone listen to “Burning” by Timelapse & Adran. I love that percussive bass and the classic house piano. At the same time, I like that it just focuses on the essentials: the groove. There are a lot of elements in there that I would produce similarly, but I’m also trying to break away from them. I really wanted my own sound. And my friends had to suffer a lot because I sent them every little change I made. Inspiration, yes – copying: NO! Whatever. Just listen to the song!
Some of my songs were years old. And it was a big challenge to bring some of those songs into the here and now. The Daphni & Caribou stuff was a huge inspiration and source of support. I just wanted a little more indie in the first chapter of Curiosity. And Daniel Victor Snaith has simply found a good approach to that, much like Four Tet. They just write songs, not loops. And somehow, that’s more my style. You’ll find a lot in For Sophia where Daphni was a major inspiration.
Weval – ‘MOVING ON’
If you listen closely, you can also hear Weval’s influence on the album. The way they playfully use their synths to build tension. Brilliant. But somehow, with this track, it’s the warm kick drum that I absolutely love about the song. I just love a big, full-bodied kick drum sound. That actually always ends up being my downfall in the mix. But I’m working on it.
Floating Points – ‘LesAlpx’
This song is my go-to reference song more than almost any other. It also fits perfectly with the style I’ve been playing for years. I love how the synths battle with their tonalities here and keep coming together with warm, playful melodies. And this mix. The storytelling? Insane. It’s probably one of my all-time favorites, similar to Todd Terje’s “Ragysh”.
Bonobo feat Joji – ‘Shadows’ (feat Jordan Rakei)
Bonobo is almost always the inspiration behind warm sounds, from basslines to synths. I love his organic sound. Everything about this song feels like a warm, cozy blanket wrapping you up, complete with hot coffee and slippers. The song was really more about the mood he creates – that sense of coziness.
The ‘Curiosity Chapter 1’ LP is available here