Alex Santos

Infobox musical artist
Name = Alex Santos
Img_capt = Alex Santos publicity photo taken by João Portugal, c. 2007.
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Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth_name = Alexandre Santos
Alias = Urban Dreams, Alex S
Instrument = Keyboard
Genre = Electronic
Occupation = Producer, DJ
Years_active = 1990-present
Label = Buzzin' Fly Records, Stir15, Funktastica
Related_acts = Darkmountaingroup, Rodamaal
URL = http://www.alexsantos.com
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Alex Santos (born 26 April 1975, Coimbra), also known as Alex S, is a Portuguese DJ, musician and record producer. He is one of the pioneer producers of the Portuguese electronic music scene.

Career

DJ

Being just 15 years of age, Alex Santos gets his first job as a DJ in a bar at São Pedro de Moel (Leiria). He has never stopped since then and Leiria (the town where he lived) was the background of his residences as a DJ. As time passed, the success of his productions made Alex Santos international. He played in well-known clubs such as The End (London), Neighbourhood (London), Sobe Live (Miami Beach), Essential (Riga), S.Q. (Poznan) or Sage Club (Berlin). In Portugal he has been playing everywhere and was one of the guest DJs of Rock In Rio Lisboa 2006.At present he is the resident DJ and artistic director of the club Sushi Electronica in Leiria, Portugal.

Producer

In 1994, under the alias “Urban Dreams”, Santos becomes, just like DJ Vibe, Rui Da Silva and The Ozone, one of the pioneers of the electronic dance music made in Portugal. After some releases in a more alternative circuit, Santos gets into the universe of Pop music and produces “Estou na Lua”, by "Os Lunáticos", band in which he played from 1995 to 1997. In 1998 he releases his first CD, “Urban Dreams Productions”, thus becoming the first Portuguese DJ/producer to record an album of original material.So far, Santos' has been one of the most proliferous producers of Portuguese electronic dance music. He has collaborated with both national and international artists, such as Tracey Thorn, Rui Da Silva, Melanie C, Michael Gray, Dennis Ferrer, Funky Green Dogs, Silence 4, David Fonseca, Corvos or Paulo Gonzo, just to name a few. In 2007 Alex Santos was invited by the English singer Tracey Thorn (Everything But the Girl) to write and produce a song for her second solo album “Out of the Woods”. The track is called “Grand Canyon (song)” and was the third single taken from that album.

Collaborations and groups

Darkmountaingroup and Delicado

His collaboration with DJ Luis Leite gave origin to two projects: “Delicado” and “Darkmountaingroup”. In the former they produce one of the most played tracks in Portugal in 2002, “The Sound of Fashion”; in the latter Alex S and Luis Leite produce "Lose Control", one of the most internationally played tracks of electronic dance music in 2006.

Rodamaal

In 2002, with the French DJs Rocco and Manoo, Alex Santos creates the project Rodamaal.After a first 12’inch released by the French label “Jazz Up Recordings”, Rodamaal sign for the English “Buzzin’ Fly Records”, of the well known DJ, producer and musician Ben Watt (Everything But The Girl). Tracks like “Musica Feliz” and “Insomnia” become vey popular in the international dance music scene. In 2007 Rodamaal remix “Church Lady” by the well known producer Dennis Ferrer.

Discography

Albums

External links and sources

* [http://www.alexsantos.com Official Alex S website]
*
* ["Enciclopédia da Música Ligeira Portuguesa", direcção de Luís Pinheiro de Almeida e João Pinheiro de Almeida, "Círculo de Leitores, 1998"]
* [ [http://www.spautores.pt/PageMembros.aspx?UserCod=1&UserID=13529 Sociedade Portuguesa de autores] ]
* [For discography details, please check www.discogs.com]

References