Interview: Color Drift

South Bend-based artist Kevin DeCloedt, known as Color Drift, crafts immersive ambient soundscapes that invite listeners to slow down and drift away. Rooted in a lifelong love for music, his journey spans from childhood piano lessons to pandemic-era explorations of texture and tone. Influenced by Eno, Boards of Canada, and Hiroshi Yoshimura, Kevin blends hardware warmth with digital precision. His debut album Time offers a safe, meditative space free of dissonance or unease. In this interview, he shares the inspirations, processes, and personal reflections behind his serene sonic world.

General info

Artist Name: Color Drift

Real name: Kevin DeCloedt

Age: 44 

Location: South Bend, Indiana

Social Media / Music Links

instagram.com/___theeleven___
colordrift.bandcamp.com

How long have you been making music?

Tricky question. I started banging around on piano as a kid and had piano lessons starting at age 6. First band was when I was 15 or 16. Started making ambient music on my own during the pandemic in 2020.

Do you release music under a label or independently?

Independent

Creative process and inspiration

What drew you to ambient music in the first place?

I've always been drawn to the ambient moments from artists that wouldn't necessarily be considered ambient artists. Specifically psychedelic 60s and early 70s bands who would drift off into jams, some so deep that they eventually lose any sense of beat or melody and just become immersed in sounds. Years later I had a friend gift me Eno's Ambient 1 Music for Airports and I made it a point to listen to it in the literal sense, every time I was traveling through an airport, which I did frequently for my work for years. That same friend shared some Boards of Canada and Fripp & Eno albums which all left their mark on me.

I love to get lost in music and often times, in non-ambient music, I would feel as if the song was ending too soon or the mood would change and I just wanted to live in that one specific part of the song for longer. Ambient music gives you the option to just sit in it. It can just be there in the background while you do a mindless task around the house, or you can close your eyes and go as deep as you dare to go and there isn't anything pulling you out of that moment. That's what I really love about ambient music. 

Can you describe your creative process when starting a new track?

I like to make sure I have a way to quickly record an idea or sound if inspiration does strike. I usually have a looper or my DAW or some recording device nearby, even if it's just the voice memo app on my phone. Then I just start playing whatever my fingers decide they want to do at that moment. I suppose my mood will determine which of my instruments I pick up and what sort of sound I dial up first. I do that until I stumble into something that interests me, or that I want to repeat. For me, I like to capture that initial idea if possible because it's never the same the second time around. I will then build on that initial idea. If it's a chord progression I will improvise some melodies over it to see what sticks. Or if it's a synth drone or guitar loop I just start adding layers, careful not to make it too busy - less is more, especially in ambient music. 

Where do you find inspiration? Emotion, nature, science fiction, or something else?

With ambient music it's very visual for me. As I'm starting to build the sounds I start to imagine a scene, usually something involving nature, and I add layers of different instruments or different parts here and there to add more to that scene. I may think "this sounds like floating down a river" or "this has weightless floating in space vibes". From there I just keep building until I feel like the scene has everything it needs.

How would you describe your sonic identity or the mood you aim to create?

For my album Time I wanted to create something completely peaceful and pleasant. It's a story without a bad guy. I didn't want to provoke un-easy feelings or sadness, I just wanted the entire thing to be a safe space I suppose. Not that those other emotions aren't worth exploring in music, I know for me there are times when I just wanted to put on an album where I don't need to worry about skipping a track that was a different mood from the other tracks. If you put this album on you know there are no surprises, you can just kinda lay back and drift along, that was the goal. That probably won't be how all my music will be in the future, and it's certainly not how the music I've been involved in before has been but it's what I needed at that time in my life so that's what I created.

Are there any artists that deeply influenced your style?

I was listening to a lot of Hiroshi Yoshimura during the time period when I was recording this album. His music is a good reminder of how keeping things simple can often create the most impact. He is often using just a single synth for pads/chords and a Fender Rhodes. It's easy to get carried away adding layer upon layer and his music was a good reminder to try to leave space and just add what is needed.

Gear and setup

Are you using hardware, software, or a hybrid setup?

I was using a mix of hardware synths, keyboards, electric guitars and software synths. Specifically, I was using the Arturia Analog Lab, using with their version of a Juno 6 or CS80 and Minimoog. I also used a Behringer Poly D and Yamaha CK61. For guitars I only used a '65 reissue Fender strat through a 1960s Silvertone 1482. I used various effects pedals on both keys and guitar but I can't recall specifically which ones. I definitely used an Electro Harmonix Small Stone and one of their loopers which has a reverse function, you can clearly hear that on the track "Quiet".

What’s your favorite piece of gear or plugin, and why?

The answer to this question varies by the day. I was actually really enjoying the Yamaha CK61 while I was recording this album, it surprised me. I was spending so much time in Logic working with the VSTs that stepping out and just laying down an audio track right out of the CK61 or the Poly D was refreshing. My favorite piece of gear ever is that Electro Harmonix Small Stone. I found that at a garage sale for $7 when I was 15 years old and it's stuck with me through every band I've played in since. It was my first pedal so it carries about as much sentimental value as an effects pedal can. I just love it's sound, it's instant early 70s vibes, it's just magic.

Challenges

What’s been the biggest challenge so far in creating ambient music?

Slowing down. When I would sit down to start a recording session or to just improvise I would always fine that I would start by simply playing too much, or more than was needed. I was constantly reminding myself to breath, slow down and sit in the moment more. That was the most valuable thing recording this project taught me. It was truly a meditative experience for me on each track. I didn't realize how fast my mind was moving until I sat down and consciously tried to slow it down, over and over again. Once I was more still, I could listen better and and place the notes where I wanted them. For me, when I play these tracks now, it does seem to help slow me down and put me in that place again, so I hope that translates and it does the same for the listener.

How do you stay motivated or inspired when you're in a creative rut?

I've realized that the creative waves come and go. I do my best to ride the wave and get as much down when it comes and I don't stress about it too much when it goes away for a bit. I will say, consistency was my key to productivity for this album. I really made it a point to at least sit down to work on something for 10 minutes even on the days when I wasn't feeling too creative. More often than not, those 10 minutes are enough to open up the gates a bit and next thing I knew I couple hours have passed. Sometimes after those 10 minutes it's just not happening and I move on and go do something else for awhile.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Thank you to anyone who takes the time to listen. There is a lot of music out there and a lot of other things reaching for our attention, so taking time to take a chance on something new you haven't heard before is much appreciated.