Sasha, also known as Alexander Paul Coe, is undeniably synonymous with electronic music. When thinking of the Welsh DJ and producer, iconic concepts come to mind, such as the Global Underground mix series’ San Francisco and Ibiza editions, the Renaissance releases, Xpander, John Digweed, Airdrawndagger, and numerous clubs and festivals around the world.
He last visited Hungary in November: in the town of Pécs and the capital, Budapest. In both performances, he showed that he still delivers high quality as a DJ. It is difficult to pinpoint his current style: he is often labeled as hypnotic and progressive – although these two categories reflect only a slice of the broad spectrum of innovative sounds he represents.

Sasha is also a key figure in the world of electronic music as a producer. His first album as a composer was released under the title The Qat Collection. It’s 1994: innovative and exciting arrangements, with monumental tracks of up to 13 minutes – just think of Animal Qat. Airdrawndagger was released in 2002. This album set a new benchmark in progressive house: it was raved about by audiences and professionals alike. Fourteen years later, in 2016, he reappeared with a self-titled album, Scene Delete. This release was handled by Late Night Records: perhaps that also conveys that we are increasingly drifting away from the concept of dance floors. Cinematic atmospheres, ethereal melodies, lighter beats, and sounds not really typical of Sasha so far. However, more and more questions from fans: will these songs work in the clubs? Sasha’s musical evolution has taken a clear direction with this album.

Before we get to Da Vinci Genius, it’s worth mentioning the names of James Holden and Max Cooper. Both of them may come to mind in the context of the heyday of progressive house around the 2000s. Holden’s Nothing is a true club anthem, while Cooper’s Chaotische Serie track, on the other hand, repeatedly set the dance floors on fire. Since then, they’ve gone on to create in other areas of electronic music: the label „experimental” suits them best. (It’s worth checking out James Holden’s Imagine This Is a High Dimensional Space of All Possibilities album, or Max Cooper’s live performances.)

Just as James Holden and Max Cooper turned to experimental music, Sasha’s musical evolution reflects a similar artistic renewal that goes beyond the world of clubs. This evolution can be challenging, but it also provides an opportunity for audiences to explore new musical dimensions.
Sasha’s latest self-penned album Da Vinci Genius was released in November on Late Night Records. The album contains seventeen compositions, roughly one hour long. The material is the next stage in the musical construction begun by Scene Delete. It’s not about dance music, of course, but about mood painting and storytelling – perhaps that’s the only similarity to Sasha’s deep and epic DJ sets and mix albums. The Renaissance albums, created in collaboration with Digweed, showcased the „Renaissance” side of electronic music, which makes the current title choice incredibly fitting. Leonardo Da Vinci was the genius of the Renaissance, and this album could play a similar role in that scene, and perhaps beyond.

But what do we find on the album? If you want to label it, you could use the terms neoclassical and electronic. The composer may have drawn some of his musical ideas from Da Vinci’s paintings, which became inspirational foundations for the compositions. Almost every track is built with an exceptional sense of proportion, combining classical musical elements with unique electronic musical textures. Strings and plucked instruments, ambient atmosphere, an angelic choir, and a few tracks later, a hint of pulsating beats. Beautiful, but never overly dramatic melodies: Sasha has always had a perfect sense of this. That is why this work is authentic and honest. Clean, beautifully composed tracks in their measured restraint. A clear but important rule is that we don’t jump between tracks: the compositions form a cohesive whole. Portraits is an intensely building piece: with an exciting sound collage at the end. Machines is a fairy tale: a story of the innovative inventions born in Da Vinci’s imagination. Descent is an ambient masterpiece: a sonic depiction of a Renaissance dream. The Prelude is a model of Renaissance beauty, and Last Supper – Oxford Suite Pt 1 has everything to show the value of Sasha’s work. The album attempts to bridge the gap between classical music and electronic music. The success is clear.
Sasha has spoken several times about how much he loves the world of movies. As in Scene Delete, this is also evident in Da Vinci Genius: the transporting compositions can also be seen as the soundtrack of an imaginary film.

The composer once again enlisted the help of Dennis White, Dave Gardner, and Barry Jamieson for the composition – they were his partners on his previous studio album as well.
It is an exceptional job, a dreamlike journey. Sasha has clearly shown his genius with this album. The image of the DJ behind the decks has expanded: a „Renaissance” artist has emerged. Was the audience ready for this? Let us be influenced by Sasha’s musical evolution. Da Vinci Genius brings the artistic genius of the Renaissance era to the modern listener.