15 years have passed since Alex Cortex began to create his own vision of electronic music - timeless and beyond trends, without a buzz or hype, steadily winning the following of DJs and home-listeners, collectors and critics worldwide. His style can be described as unpredictable to a certain point, while maintaining high aesthetic standards; playful with quotes and references, always low-key and focused on psychedelic immersion into sound
that shifts the attention from the artist to the music. 'Kihon' is a very personal effort, as suggested by the self-portrait on the cover that puts ear, eye, and mouth -reception and production- into context. The carefully elaborated design of this gatefold double LP speaks as a whole and in true minimalist fashion about the passing of time, without ever declaring nostalgia to be a means for itself. This also reflects in the music. Alex Cortex evades large gestures and obvious quotes, but is certainly conscious of locating his album within a framework of references to other works of electronic music that are important for his own musical evolution. In 11 nameless tracks, 'Kihon' takes us on a journey through organic worlds of sound that invites us to flow with the music and connect with the feelings contained in it. The title 'Kihon' that relates to Japanese martial arts translates to 'basics' or 'fundamentals', the training of which does not even cease when reaching master grades. Those basics that are passed on beyond time are also the foundation of this album. By concentrating on the bare essentials, the music begins to speak, turning the album into a harmonic whole. 'Kihon' therefore is also a return to
listening, away from a utilitarian perception of music as a background sound. This does not mean it would not work perfectly well in a club context -in the right hands it indeed does- but more notably, 'Kihon' is a work of art worth your attention and destined to stand the test of time.
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