Observer Drift
Words by Jesse Raymer
Oh, Observer Drift. An indie-pop project that I have loved since I was a fourteen-year-old freshman in high school. Made up of Collin Ward and based in Minneapolis, Observer Drift has been creating infectious, lush synth-pop tunes since 2011. Their most well-known track, as heard in many online videos and Spotify playlists is “Warm Waves” is from their debut album Corridors (2012.) On a lazy Summer night, my first encounter with Observer Drift came from watching a travel video on YouTube. Their song was placed as background music, but I felt like it stole the show. After humming in my head for days, I found the name of the track: “Sporting Chance.”
I began listening to more Observer Drift on the daily, the melodies and shimmering songs accompanied me on long bike rides across my neighborhood and during the warm summer days when my feet were stuck in the sand. The album Corridors exposed me to the enchanting world of dreamy, lofi-pop before I ever discovered Beach Fossils or Wild Nothing. Observer Drift marked a time in my life where I was growing up and finding music that shook my inner soul and made me feel something bigger than just a catchy beat. It made me feel like I was on a treasure hunt, finding hidden pieces of music that I could add to my collection of special songs. I hope this playlist makes you nostalgic for beach days and bike rides, and I hope Observer Drift holds a spot in your Summer Jam list.