Christopher Lawrence Albums (13)
'Global Trance Grooves Vol. 1: Two Tribes'
Release Date 8/19/2008
Tracks 24
Label Moist
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'Gatecrasher: Christopher Lawrence Live in Moscow'
Release Date 3/20/2007
Tracks 23
Label Gatecrasher
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What The Critics Say
Who better to launch Gatecrasher's new series of in-concert mix sets than American star Christopher Lawrence, who placed number four in DJ Magazine's 2006 Top 100 DJ poll? Lawrence gets the party started with Activa's propulsive "Perception," a four-on-the-floor-driven trance number sure to get the crowd moving. "Made in Bahrain" toughens up the sound, even as the center brightens and space effects swoop across the grooves. Listeners and dancers arrive in the exotic climes of "Tabriz" on a compulsive rhythm, then take off into outer space with Astralis' "Solar Flare" The fiery beats are unquenchable, but Lawrence turns the set down to a simmer with "Landmark," while simultaneously bearing down on the rhythm before breaking free in a stutter of cool samples and a flurry of beats on "Dominator." "Dynamic Swell, Pt. 2" sends the set boiling over, heated up by the cinematic sound, space effects, ringing guitar, and vocal samples. Riding this wave of sound is a spy-esque melody line, a James Bond theme for the 23rd century. "Offender" quickens the pace, which ebbs and flows in a stutter of new wavey synth melody. "Connexions" hardens the sound, sporting an old-school feel but an almost robotic new wave melody, which shifts brilliantly into the industrial flavor of "Mind Factor," with the first disc ending with a flourish of spacy effects that infect the hard house-styled "Vimano, Pt. 2." This flamboyant disc inevitably exhausted many of the audience, and disc two is aimed more at the most rugged trance fans. "New Technologies" kicks in hard, while the even tougher "Experience" marches in military formation right through Red Square. "Kickwave" sends the troops into outer space, and into battle on a remix of Lawrence and John "00" Fleming's tough-as-nails "Beyond the Limit." That number pushes the set toward hard house, a move emphasized by the funky bassline-powered "Driven" and the action-packed "Rasa Lila." "The Future" returns the action to the trance realm; the first of two Lee Haslam tracks, his "Checkmate" is, if anything, even more power-packed. With "Fused," Lawrence pulls the set down a bit but builds up the atmosphere, then begins to rebuild the tension, which breaks loose on the hands-in-the-air "Awakening" and the incendiary "Backlash." With a set of songs barely known outside the trance scene, Lawrence goes out on a high with the crossover club killer "The Lift." The energy never flags and the excitement remains palatable throughout, an awesome accomplishment that sets the bar extraordinarily high for DJs who handle the next few volumes. ~ Jo-Ann Greene, All Music Guide
'Un-Hooked: The Hook Sessions'
Release Date 11/2/2004
Tracks 11
Label System
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What The Critics Say
Christopher Lawrence is a globetrotting house DJ whose singles and mix albums have achieved significant success in the U.K. and who is in constant demand as a touring artist and party DJ, but who, until this release, had yet to release an album of his own compositions. All or Nothing marks his debut as a purveyor of original trance music, and if he hasn't exactly staked out any really new ground as yet, he at least demonstrates that he's learned well the lessons of his forebears. Lawrence's brand of trance is utilitarian, if not quite minimalist. Pretty much every track (with the notable exception of the borderline funky "New Day") is built on a straight-ahead foursquare house beat, around which electronic atmospheres expand and contract. Sometimes (as on "Mind Eraser") they're fairly chilly and robotic-sounding; at other times (as on "Saboteur," the album's lead track) they sound grimly but briskly determined, like a good spy movie theme; and once in a great while (as on the lovely "Halo") they even feature vocals. It's hard to imagine anyone listening to this album all the way through from start to finish, but to be fair, that's not really the way this music is meant to be used; break the program up with a few infusions of jungle, rare groove, and vintage soul, and you've got a ready-made party. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide
'Around the World'
Release Date 2/26/2002
Tracks 11
Label Moonshine Records
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What The Critics Say
Christopher Lawrence's third annual mix for Moonshine isn't much different from his preceding offerings. Like those mixes, this one features a handful of lengthy tracks (none clocking under five minutes) mixed together seamlessly. Part of this mix's seamlessness is due to the homogeneity of the tracks Lawrence throws down -- most lumber along at the same syncopated tempo, are driven by layers upon layers of synthesizer riffs, and feature lots of superfluous ornamentation intended to trip you out. Highlights include the occasional intense buildup, melodic interlude, and ambient lull. For the most part, however, this mix glides along at a steady pace, peaking during Marc Auerbach's "Muke" when a heavily treated vocal chant cuts through the layers of synthesizer riffs and then again during Sonik Kross' "Walking With Dreamz" during the standard snare-drum buildup so often associated with trance. Overall, however, there aren't too many noteworthy moments on this mix; it's best taken in its entirety rather than on a track-by-track basis. Part of the reason why Lawrence became so popular in the States is because he's consistent -- he releases about one album a year and they're all fairly similar. Chances are you know what you're getting into before even giving this album a listen. No surprises here. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
'United States of Trance'
Release Date 1/23/2001
Tracks 12
Label Moonshine Music
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What The Critics Say
Christopher Lawrence's second mix for Moonshine, United States of Trance, is fairly similar to his other mixes for the label. Rather than spin tracks by many of the style's leading producers of the time, like Cass & Slide or Tilt, Lawrence goes with relatively unknown producers like Prizm & Eclipse ("Genesis"), Skynet UK ("Holdin' On"), and Manhattan ("Psychomaniacs"). The result is rather homogenous -- not much differentiates the tracks from one another, similar to how not much differentiates this mix from Lawrence's myriad other mixes. There are plenty of intense buildups and layers upon layers of trippy synthesizer riffs. It's what you've come to expect from Lawrence. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
'Trilogy, Part One: Empire'
Release Date 2/22/2000
Tracks 11
Label Moonshine Music
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What The Critics Say
Trilogy, Part One: Empire is an 11-track set of sleek club trance that strays only occasionally from the hypnotic, vaguely eerie template of 120-bpm acid trance. Lawrence does gradually move into anthem territory with extroverted, individual selections -- Baby Doc's "Hard Work," his own "Renegade," and the nu-house of "Twin Town" by Ian Wilkie Vs. Timo Maas -- but far too much of the mix blends together into background music: perfect for a coffeehouse or smart bar (and not too bad on the dancefloor either), but not the most diverting listen. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
