Customer Reviews

Around The World

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Once again, American trance leader Christopher Lawrence has avoided the the typical trends in progressive house and trance that other dj's have adopted, and lays down a smoothe, deep trance set with tunes that come straight out of his record box.

Around the World shows the integrity that Lawrence has for the sound that all of his fans have come to recognize him for. You know immediately who you are listening to when this newest mix begins. He has managed to squeeze a three hour set into 72 minutes, and it really gives you an idea of the journey he takes dancers on when you're lucky enough to catch him live. Awhile back I gave a five star review for Lawrence's "Temptation" mix cd, and I stated that I would recommend it to any newcomer as the definitive Christopher Lawrence album, because it demonstrated best what he does live. But "Temptation" is the kind of set he throws down at one off's and new years massives when he's only got an hour. "Around the World" is for those long nights where he really grabs hold of his clubbers and lets it build for a few hours until seamlessy making the transition to the more bangin tracks. Anyhow, I'm changing my sacred opinion and refering any new Christopher Lawrence listener to this cd. And those of you who still cling to "Temptation" need not to worry, because anyone who has heard him drop tracks like "galaxies" , "hong kong junkie", and "muke" live can attest to the fact that they still send the crowd into a complete frenzy and tear the roof off any club.

Seek this one out. It's his best yet, a deep, thoughtful mix but with enough power and energy to keep all the crazy kids with something to smile about.

Los Angeles-based dj/producer Christopher Lawrence has become well-known within the (all too small) world of electronic dance music for his driving, pounding, pedal-to-the-metal trancey sound, a style which has its origins with Scotland's Hook Label. Although each of his mix cd's to date has been a bit different, that trademark "majestic" trance sound has been the common denominator and the basis for Lawrence's continuing popularity.

This time around, Lawrence shows his willingness to evolve-while-also-staying-the-same, as "Around The World" reveals a definite progressive proclivity that distinguishes this work from his previous mixes. The balance that Lawrence is trying to achieve in this cd is revealed in the very first two tracks, two very different remixes of of Luigi's "Jet Black." The first, by Arksun, is definitely in the aggressive, trancey style that is vintage Lawrence. The second remix, however, is by Steve Porter, a Florida-based rising star becoming known for his deep, percussive, dark progressive sound. The Porter remix reveals the extent to which Lawrence clearly has been attentive to the shift by any number of dj's and producers toward more "progressive" styles in electronic music over the past two years, and he has adapted these trends skillfully without eschewing his overall allegience to more melodic trance.

This progressive-trending groove continues for the next several tracks. Mark Lowndes' "Indya" incorporates ethnic-chanting female vocals in a style that perhaps has been overused recently but which still works here. Replicant's "Conspiracy" explores a deep, poundingly dark, and yes, "chugging" groove with which some of Lawrence's longtime fans may not be comfortable.

Lawrence's flirtation with "progressive" is not all-consuming, however, and by track seven, a Lawrence remix of Night Fever's "Mile High," listeners will recognize once again the majestic Hook Records style of trance with which Lawrence has been so closely associated. The home stretch of this mix tends, in fact, toward an uptempo, aggressive, and melodic style, yet for the most part avoids sounding the least bit cheesy. In other words, it's vintage Lawrence.

For me, the only disappointment in this otherwise magnificent musical set come with the final track. Sonik Cross' "Walking With Dreamz" sounds to me like boilerplate trance, a formulaic piece barely distinguishable from a hundred other tracks I've heard before. Still, I suspect that my view here is in the minority; most of Lawrence's longtime fans will probably embrace this piece more enthusiastically than they will the progressive material that characterizes the first portion of the mix.

Christopher Lawrence is the reason that the trance genre still exists and rocks in the United States. I would have to say that because of Lawrence and but a few other DJs (i.e. George Acosta, D:Fuse, Danny Tenaglia, Sandra Collins)the US is poised to blow the international dance industry away.

Sure, we cannot compete in even the same league in terms of clubs and venues (Giant and the ill-fated Twilo come close...but no cigar) but we can offer an awesome lineup of American DJs who can tear the roof off any club, no matter where it may be.

I was a HUGE fan of Christopher Lawrence before this CD,(with United States of Trance being my favorite and Temptation & Rise coming in at second) and will always support this hard worker.

This CD is not his best, frankly it's a bit too progressive (he does better with higher energy sets), but it is still a freakin' awesome CD. One of the better offerings of the new year (so far). His track selection is leaps and bounds far more risky than the name-brand DJs out there, but that means Lawrence is representing the underground trance music more (I'm sooooo glad he doesn't throw another track by Transa on this CD, nor does he use chart-toppers that you will here at your local club - - have fun trying to find these tunes if you are a DJ (it's next to impossible)

Have fun with this CD.... the Underground American Trance Scene Needs Your Support!

Lately I'd been really bored with trance. I felt that it was something I had liked a few years ago and was now outgrowing. I'd heard so much of it I felt I'd heard it all before. Trance, regretably, was just too predictable, limited, and therefore uninspiring. Build-ups, drum rolls, hands in the air, breakdowns, repeat cycle. I thought that the sound had simply evolved and matured into progressive.

I'm glad to find out I was just ignorant and mistaken. Hold onto your glowsticks everyone, trance still has a pulse. I felt it last night. I'm just in from Club 1015 Folsom in SF where Christopher Lawrence tore his CD release party a brand new hole. Wow! I didn't know trance could be like that! Okay, I'm willing to say it out loud unabashed. If this is trance, "I love trance and want to marry it". His sound is delicious slow-burning deep dark and driving yet melodic trance commercial cheese left out. It's the underground trance sound, nothing I'd heard before, and not a lick of Iio, Bedrock, or Tiesto (love to them) included. What a refreshing change from omnipresent progressive house trance sets featuring the same (albeit awesome) Dutch or British producers.

Beat-heads have reason to be grateful. There is a lot of quality forward thinking dance music coming from all directions. I'm just thrilled to discover yet another DJ who can challenge my assumptions about what dance music is and can be.

I didn't know of Christopher Lawrence until this week. I bought Around the World and listened to it the first time right before going out to the club. Appropriate since this mix is mellower than he what played live. Buy it- It's beautiful. It'll work great as the soundtrack for getting ready for another club night.

This is definitely a graduation for Christopher Lawrence. I'm a fan of his previous releases but this one tops them all for it's patience and willingness to bring us into its world. I've always enjoyed CL's other CDs but this one is the first to truly take me on a journey....slowly building in the beginning and then rewarding listeners with a frenetic yet calculated climax. This is the disc I've always known he was capable of making. I know I will always carry this as a cd that embodies all that is great about trance. If you understand and love trance, get this cd and enjoy the ride. I have, again and again, and again.

Christopher Lawrence's CDs are amazingly good. While I am not a big fan of Temptation/Rise, I think that Hook Recordings, United State of Trance and this one are all really good. USoT was absolutely amazing so my standards for this one were extremely high and while I think that this is an impressive album, it doesn't elevate his standard that much. The first half is definitely amazing whereas the second half is just really good. Track 4 particularly stands out in my mind because I had heard it on Seb Fontaine's Prototype 4 and definitely thought it was much better here.

Like many others, I am burned out on boring, predictable and shallow trance. Thank heavens that there are still DJs like Christopher Lawrence out there who keep it fresh, interesting and on the edge. From start to finish, this is a first class CD. Yet again, Christopher Lawrence proves that he is an easy equal to the Sasha's and Oakenfolds of this world.

What can I say? Another amazing release from America's top trance DJ. This CD tops United States of Trance for energy, track selection, seamless mixes and impeccable programming. Chris Lawrence takes you on a musical journey out of this world with beautiful, relentless peaks and dark, twisted troughs that will not disappoint (and which leaves most other boring, flat progressive mixes for dead). Highly recommended.

This is the type of album that helps define a genre...or lack there of. Christopher Lawrence has always been putting a wide variety of genres and sounds together yet his overall style remains the same. Cutting edge deep progressive, but don't be fooled there is no way to pigeon-hole an albulm like this. All of the mixes are bang on, often so seemless that the intermixing creates a song of its own. That's what this album is; a complete entity that is far superior than the sum of its parts. Essentially what DJ's are supposed to do.
The highlights from the disk in my mind are tracks 4,5,6 and 11.
4)Indya - Mark Lowndes, this track introduces the first real prevalent melody with electrifying undertones.
5)The Conspiracy - Replicant, In my mind this is an absolute classic deep trance track. Heavily layered and complicated a true joy to listen to.
6)Galaxies - Capetown, the melody in this one is hypnotizing, earthy and heartfelt. A truely inspired mix into, and out of, this track.
11) Walking With Dreamz - Sonik Kross, The pace picks up a bit for the finale track. A pulsing track, again heavily layered, and a rolling baseline to boot. One of the hardest and best progressive songs I've heard.
These are my hand picked favorites, but this album is not about favorite tracks. It's the type of album that once I start it, I see it through to the end.

This was the first album I bought of Christopher Lawrence's, and it might still be the best. Although, one of the great things about Lawrence is everything he spins is great.

Like his other works, Lawrence spins a darker more progressive style trance. Don't look for any airy vocals here. Inside is full of hard rythmic beats. Lawrence tends to make full use out of sounds on the lower end of the spectrum, rarely using any using any of the melodic high pitched synth sounds that tend to dominate the medium.

The song selection on this disc is fantastic. Lawrence manages to blend the tracks perfectly while still allowing you to hear this as an album full of separate distinct tracks rather than one long set that sounds mostly the same.

I highly recommend this album to anyone who loves the genre.