Choosing Curiosity Over Comfort: Alex Cecil on Redefining Success and Creative Risk for 2026
Alex Cecil Online From classical cello training to the pulse of New York City’s club scene, Alex Cecil has carved out a distinct voice in Electronic Music. With releases on Lost On You, 925 Music, and his debut single Alpha Lupi topping Traxsource’s Techno chart, he has performed at iconic spaces ranging from Burning Man to House of Yes. As 2026 approaches, we sit down with Cecil to talk evolution, risk, and what lies ahead.
What key lessons or shifts from 2025 are shaping how you’re approaching 2026?
My definition of success is constantly evolving. For a long time, I believed it was about ticking specific boxes, releasing on certain labels, hitting particular milestones. In 2025, I zoomed out and reassessed that mindset. I realized that scale doesn’t always equal impact, and that intention and follow-through are just as important as reach.
Being deeply involved in every step of the process reminded me that momentum comes from clarity, not just size. Moving into 2026, confidence is the foundation. Trusting ideas that feel exciting, slightly uncomfortable, and bold is what’s guiding me forward.
When you think about 2026, what excites you most about the projects or ideas you’re exploring?
Creatively, it feels like I’ve reached a new level. Not in a dramatic way, but more like realizing a door that was always there is finally wide open. Ideas that once felt out of reach or too risky are now the ones pulling me forward.
I’m in a phase of exploration where nothing feels off-limits. I’ll start a track without knowing where it’s going. No fixed genre, no rigid BPM, just following the energy and seeing what reveals itself. That sense of uncertainty is what excites me most right now. It keeps the process playful, instinctive, and alive.
2026 feels like a year of choosing curiosity over comfort. I’m leaning into projects that don’t fit neatly into boxes, trusting that if something feels exciting and slightly dangerous, it’s probably worth pursuing. That mindset has completely re-energized my creative process, and I think people will hear that in the music.
Are there creative directions or sounds you feel ready to lean into more this year?
Absolutely. I’m embracing the elements I once avoided because they felt risky. When I see artists I admire perform, I don’t want a perfectly polished, algorithm-friendly set. I want to be taken somewhere unexpected. I want to be challenged. That’s the energy I’m bringing into everything I do now.
That realization really clicked when I played my first-ever ambient set at the Katermukke x Hive Audio showcase at House of Yes. At first, it felt like a wild idea. But while preparing, I realized I’d been building toward it for years, especially during COVID, when I’d play for hours at home, slowing tracks down and letting material that usually lived around 128 BPM breathe at 115 or lower. Once that connection landed, everything made sense.
Now I’m thinking more in terms of storytelling. Sometimes it’s a short story, sometimes a full novel, depending on the space and the moment. Between that experience and working closely with my partner at superfine records, I’ve learned to trust those instincts more. It’s about letting the music go where it wants to go. Less restraint, more intention, and more risk in the best possible way.
Is there a personal or professional goal for 2026 that feels especially important?
Consistency, but with intention. My goal is to release at least one track per month, ideally more. I have a lot of music ready to be shared, and I’ve learned that holding onto it for too long can actually slow creative momentum. Letting go is part of moving forward.
At the same time, I’m being more strategic. I work hard and genuinely enjoy that process, but I’ve learned that nonstop motion doesn’t always lead to progress. It’s not about stepping off the wheel, it’s about knowing when and why to push. That shift alone has changed how I think about growth.
At its core, the goal is momentum with clarity. Releasing regularly, staying sharp, and making sure each move builds on the last so the energy keeps flowing forward instead of spinning in place.
How do you hope your project or brand evolves over the next year?
I want it to feel more like me, but also more surprising. Something instantly recognizable, yet capable of making you pause and think, “I didn’t expect that.”
I’m deeply intuitive and emotionally driven, and that sensitivity plays a big role in how I make music. I want that to come through more clearly and confidently. I’m building something rooted in my core sound, but with branches reaching into unexpected territory. Same identity, just sharper, deeper, and more expansive. It feels like a journey we’re taking together.
Are there collaborations, spaces, or industries you’re excited to explore?
Definitely. That same appetite for risk is shaping how I approach collaborations and spaces. Over the past two years, I’ve hosted ADE parties in collaboration with Sounds of Khemit, and this year with my own label, superfine records. Both were major successes.
The label launched at the end of 2025, and our next release drops February 13 with Niconé, which feels like a strong signal of where things are heading. I co-founded the label with Alexis Maragkos, founder of the AIONIA collective. With that foundation in place, 2026 feels like the right moment to keep expanding.
What does “growth” look like to you in the year ahead?
Growth, for me, is constant. I’m always pushing mentally and physically, sometimes to the edge. This year, it’s about aligning my self-worth with my value. The momentum is already there, and it’s building quickly.
More than anything, growth means deeper connection. If I look back at the end of 2026 and feel braver than I do right now, that’s a win.
Is there something you’ve been holding back on that now feels right to pursue?
Expanding the NiteLite event series. With the label now launched, everything feels aligned. There’s finally space to build more intentionally.
NiteLite Music debuted with my own track Chismosa, and the next release lands January 23 with a remix from Ian Allen. That release momentum makes this feel like the right moment to expand the events into a more fully curated experience, musically, visually, and conceptually. It’s less about starting something new and more about allowing an existing world to fully grow.
How do you want audiences to experience your work in 2026?
I want it to feel immersive and personal. Not just something you listen to, but something you step into. Whether someone is on a crowded dancefloor or listening alone at home, I want there to be layers. Emotional, sonic, and visual layers that reward curiosity and repeat experiences. The goal is connection, not just consumption.
If you had to describe your vision for 2026 in one sentence?
To stay rooted in the underground while pushing into unexpected spaces with intention, curiosity, and zero fear of creative risk.
As 2026 unfolds, Alex Cecil continues to fuse classical foundations with forward-thinking electronic sound. With new releases, collaborations, and live performances on the horizon, he’s shaping the next chapter of a career defined by depth, evolution, and fearless creativity.
