United States Of Trance

Amazon – Editor Review

Christopher Lawrence hasn’t become, arguably, America’s most popular trance DJ by accident. A freakishly skilled man on the decks and possessed by a thirst for new vinyl, Lawrence taps into the same darkly spiritual vibe as international DJ superstars like Sasha and John Digweed. His mix, however, is sleeker and slicker than those of his non-Yankee contemporaries, though still more adventurous and urban than the glowstick anthems offered up by too many U.S. DJs. It’s a perfect adjustment for America’s notoriously short attention span. United States of Trance, then, seems an appropriate title for Lawrence’s latest opus, a quick but satisfying slice of life in his kinetic universe of sound. Check out the spare textures and popping beats in “Holdin’ On” (courtesy of Skynet UK), which Lawrence uses with triphammer timing. His work as a producer in his own right is maturing as well; his “Cruise Control” swoops along with a relatively low-key touch, then blends masterfully with “Purple Overdose” from the Captain & Max-Alien Thing. By giving up the goods without insulting his audience, Lawrence expertly walks the thin line between surface cheese and dark beauty that makes trance transcendental. –Matthew Cooke

1. Genesis – Prizm & Eclipse

2. AM-Pacific – Silk

3. Holdin’ On – Skynet UK

4. Now Hear This – Hear-O

5. Twisted – Twister 2

6. Cruise Control – Christopher Lawrence

7. Purple Overdose – The Captain & Max-Alien Thing

8. Psychomanteus – Manhattan

9. Barracuda – CL McSpadden

10. Wales – DJ Merlyn

11. Trauma – Tom Wilson Presents Technocat 2000

12. The Longer Now – Kodansha