Alex Cortiz almost single-handedly launched the Netherlands’s dance scene in the 1990s. What’s more, he was the first Dutch artist (under the name D-Shake) to score an international hit, with “Yaah/Technotrance”, which made it into the UK’s top twenty House music list. Throughout his career, Cortiz has been changing aliases as frequently as he’s changed his music styles – from enigmatic stage names (D-Shake and Dr. Nunu) to self-mocking monikers such as House of Nachos, Electric Sweat and Cat Scanner. On this latest release the man uses the name Alex Cortiz, but he departs from the down-tempo to mid-tempo sound of his most recent works. Phoenix features fourteen up-tempo tracks, compressing hours of studio time into 76 minutes. The music is still sexy and sophisticated, but faster and livelier, with a dash of Detroit and progressive techno. Cortiz delivers some serious beats, from slick, sonic, urban tempos to trance rhythms (“Twinkies”, “Field of Motion”), but the real gems – “Ketamine Dream”, “Frenetic”, “Mystic”, and “Funkaloid” are brilliant examples of electronica: mesmerizing, playful, carnivalesque and funky. In short, we’re going Dutch tonight, honey.
High Note Records

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
April 2006 issue