Alex Costes and I met in the most unexpected and most musical way. A Thursday night in Paris, at Spootnik: him behind the booth, me on the dancefloor, with music as our first conversation.
The magic of a set often happens when you least expect it. That night, the surprise came in the form of an Andre Lodemann track, dropped halfway through an otherwise technical, organic tech-house set. For a brief moment, I was sent ten years back in time, just long enough. It was beautiful. Now it’s your turn to take that temporal journey, with the mix Alex is sharing today.
Can you introduce yourself in a few words?
My name is Alexandre, and I go by Alex Costes as an artist simply using my family name.
I’m originally from Colombes, in the Paris suburbs, and music has always been part of my life. At 12, I joined the conservatory and started playing the trumpet. Alongside that, I played in a symphonic orchestra, which gave me the chance to explore a wide range of styles: classical music, jazz, rock, jerk…
French and US hip-hop, as well as house music from the 90s and 2000s, have always deeply influenced me. Naturally, that’s what led me to start collecting and playing records.
I’ve been DJing for about four years now, playing in clubs and at private events, both at night and during after-hours. Since last September, I’ve been a resident DJ at Spootnik, after first working there as a bouncer — a role I also hold for the Automatic collective and label.
I love my job as a DJ just as much as my work as a bouncer. Both allow me to stay in constant contact with everyone who shapes nightlife, professionals and the crowd alike, without whom no party could exist.
What can you tell us about your journey through electronic music: DJing, record collecting, your relationship with vinyl?
I bought my first turntables in 2015, mainly so I could properly listen to the records I was buying. Very quickly, I started practicing at home and recording my sets.
I’ve always had the same goal in mind: to take the listener somewhere they don’t expect, and to leave them with a genuine surprise at the end of the journey.
Through encounters and the development of my musical identity, I began mixing within different collectives. These experiences helped me build confidence, sharpen my skills, and, most importantly, learn how to read a dancefloor. Little by little, I was able to assert myself as an artist in my own right.
What kind of relationship do you have with Spootnik and the Automatic collective?
I started working at Spootnik as a bouncer a little over a year ago, and last September I joined the resident DJ team.
As for Automatic, I work as a bouncer at their parties and afters at Le 211.
These two experiences complement each other perfectly. They allow me to grow at the heart of the scene, collaborate with passionate artists, and share a common vision of underground club culture and what a party should be.
Your musical resolutions for 2026?
I want to keep playing, evolving, and growing both through discovering new tracks and through encounters with incredible artists.
A few words to introduce your mix?
For this mix, I focused heavily on the structure from the very intro, aiming to create an immersive sonic tunnel. Starting from an electro / tech-house / minimal deep-tech foundation, I wanted to establish a solid groove before gradually evolving toward a more vocal and electro-driven atmosphere, while maintaining rhythmic and harmonic coherence throughout.
I also included several unreleased tracks sent to me by artists I find particularly talented.
And for a personal touch, I add digital vocals to the vinyl records I play, a way to enrich the sonic texture and create a distinctive signature.
Enjoy.