Beatport Next: The Power of Alignment

Hailing from Italy and currently based in Berlin, Francesco Pierfelici (AKA Alignment) has been steadily making a name for himself as one of Europe’s best new techno talents. His fast-rising status in the clubland is driven by the breakneck speed and ceaseless energy that permeates his productions, which have been picked up by labels such as Voxnox Records, Involve Records, Suara, Etruria Beat, and Charlotte de Witte’s KNTXT imprint.

Since getting his start in 2015, Alignment’s tracks have gained support from dance music giants such as Ben Klock, Amelie Lens, Chris Liebing, Laurent Garnier, Richie Hawtin, Sam Paganini, Joseph Capriati, and Maceo Plex, to name a few.

Working the European techno circuit with a determined work ethic over the years, he caught the attention of Charlotte de Witte, who then invited him to perform at her highly sought-after KNTXT label nights. Since then, he’s gone from strength to strength, releasing a flurry of adrenaline-fueled EPs on the label such as Time, Nothingness, and his most recent outing, Power.

We caught up with Beatport Next artist Alignment to learn more about his transition from Italy to Berlin, how embracing darkness has elevated his sound, his latest EP, the type of energy he wants to convey in his music, and more.

What inspired your move to Berlin?

I was working in a restaurant and really wanted to chase my dream and live from music. At that time, I was already working with my manager Fabio Venezia from Voxnox Records and the Thrust Agency, and we decided to create something together. Everything went quite fast then.

Tell us about the Voxnox Records crew and how you first became a part of this close-knit musical family for your debut EP.

I started to work with Fabio already for another project of mine in 2014. When I first met him and the crew we had great vibes and times, so we decided to push things further and he released my first EP, Phobia, in 2015, which was followed by my first vinyl release, Spectral, in 2017. With hard co-work, we shaped the project of Alignment to what it became today.

Your music has been supported by techno heavyweights like Ben Klock, Chris Liebing, Amelie Lens, and Joseph Capriati. Do you remember the first time one of your tracks got played out by one of your musical heroes?

I think it was Sam Paganini at Kappa Futur Festival in 2016! Seeing that one of my tracks got played and worked in front of such a massive audience was surely a big motivation.

You’ve described your style as “a journey to the dark corners of one’s inner self.” What is it about these dark inner corners that you find so musically inspiring? What are some of the key ingredients behind your tracks that make this journey possible?

There’s always “magic” buried in melancholy. This inspires me a lot, and it’s reflected in my music. I always try to create a signature sound with synths, melodies, and groove patterns. This mixture of vibes seems quite accessible for listeners. I’ve always been happy to find that people listen to my music in all kinds of situations.

Charlotte de Witte has been a huge supporter of your music for years, and you’ve become a staple of her KNTXT label and events. How did you two first come into contact with one another, and how has KNTXT helped your DJ career?

We were already in touch back in the days, and she always supported my music. One day Fabio sent her a new EP, and that’s how the collaboration started. KNTXT helped me to perform on bigger stages and their label nights. It’s also a great team behind that project, and I am thankful for the trust.

Tell us about the “no compromise” concept behind your third KNTXT release, the Power EP, and how it compares to your previous releases over the past year.

After this pandemic time and no end or hope in sight to perform in the near future again, we all needed a lot of POWER, and this EP should motivate people to always stay focused and follow what they love. Four times four to the floor was the actual statement I wanted to set with KNTXT011.

What are you most looking forward to this summer, and what can fans expect to see and hear from Alignment for the rest of the year?

There’s a lot of good stuff happening, and I am more than happy that all this finally becomes a reality. Stay tuned!

Cameron Holbrook is Beatportal’s Assistant Editor. Find him on Twitter.