Review of Chris Lake’s Crazy

Chris Lake should be entirely held accountable for the repercussions of this ambush. He knows what the hell he’s doing. His debut production, Crazy, will allow listeners a detailed summary of his reputation and history as a skilled DJ and remix producer as soon the first listen to the album’s first track. By the time the title track rolls around, it should be clear that he’s not just throwing darts at a dartboard and hoping that one sticks – there is a method to his fluid, darkcore madness.

Crazy appears to be comprised of a variety of mixes; it’s here-and-there aspect keeps the mesmerizing beats mesmerizing, instead of a detailed creation without end. What better way to keep listeners on their toes? By featuring vocal artists Nastala and Emma Hewitt, some tracks evoke qualities of the three minute pop song, however not standard; in partnering with DJ/producer Sebastian Leger, others hold their own as good old bass-heavy techno and electronica. Lake fuses the rest of the work together, resulting in an output that is at once sick, sweet, and hot – all-too familiar signs of dance fever.

The only potential dilemma is that listeners might find themselves surged by an urgent need to be surrounded by strobe lights and a multitude of bodies, whether at 11pm on a Friday night or during an afternoon brea . It’s almost as if the only thing missing from the album is an insert with a list of dance/house/electronica clubs underneath the heading “In Case of Emergency.”

Someone might want to write this down.

Crazy will be released on Nervous Records on May 19.

Recommended tracks: “Tokyo”, “Crazy”, “Aqualight (feat. Sebastian Leger)”, “Robots”

Chris Lake feat. Nastala ‘If You Knew’ from Rising Music – ontour & online on Vimeo.