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[ElectronicNightLife Review] Christopher Lawrence – Rush Hour: Best Of 2013

Rating: 9.5 out of 10.0

2013, in this reviewer’s humble opinion, has been an amazing year for music. Underground trance and progressive, in particular, have really started to come into their own again. The underground trance genre in general, including all of its sub-genres, has distanced itself from its more popular counterpart. 2011 and 2012 saw the rise of a few absolutely stellar trance, psy-trance and progressive artists, and by 2013 the scene had exploded with incredible music from countless talented artists.

Christopher Lawrence is, of course, no stranger to underground trance. We’re talking veteran status here. The man plays huge sets all over the world, hosts an incredible radio show, and runs the absolutely superb Pharmacy Music label. As with most fans of dark, heavy underground trance, I heard about the upcoming Best of 2013 CD from Mr. Lawrence and jumped for joy.

As of right now, I’m on my third time listening to this CD; not because I want to be thorough in my review, nor because I’m trying to find specific tracks I liked throughout the album. I’m on my third time listening to this CD because it’s justthatgood.

The first track on the album is Perfect Stranger’s remix of Ritmo’s “Follow Me.” I’ve loved this track from the moment I first heard it, and hearing the album start with this brilliant tune put a six-inch grin on my face. I’m not kidding; I seriously look like the Joker right now. Following up on this track is the signature thundering bassline of a new Reaky track, Katarza. If you’re familiar with any of the artists behind these first two tracks, you’ll know that this album definitely starts off with a bang; straight into rolling basslines and pounding kicks.

The album continues in this way for a while; enormous psy-trance track after enormous psy –trance track, bringing up the energy of the album with every mix. Some tracks feature great breaks breakdowns, and rarely does Chris let the beat fall out, making sure you’re bobbing your head for the entire hour and thirty-some-odd minutes.

My favorite part of the album is Chris’s attention to variety. As I said before, there are a few breaks breakdowns scattered throughout the track, which definitely do the mix justice, switching up the beat just enough to keep the listener jamming. Also, while he is known for playing primarily psy-trance (and this album is loaded with it) many of the tracks feature big pads and euphoric melodies. It really captures the power of the trance sound many knew so long ago. It’s incredibly refreshing.

Toward the end of the album Chris made sure to drop what I think was the best psy-trance song of 2013 (or at least close to it): Earthspace’s remix Cylon’s “In Through the Out Door.” If you can listen to this song without chair dancing, you don’t have a soul. At this point, this song is just icing on the delicious, delicious cake that is this album. Two more high-pace psy-trance songs, and the album is complete.

Christopher Lawrence’s “Best of 2013” lives up to its name. If grindy acid, strong stabbing basslines and euphoric melodies are your thing, don’t hesitate to pick this one up. As of late, I’ve been bombarded with farty-bassline cheesetrance from the bowels of the pop-EDM world. Getting a chance to step away from that nightmare into the pure nirvana that is this album is truly a treat. The next time someone tells you trance is dead, slap them in the face with this CD.

Review by Daniel Nusdeo
http://blog.electronicnightlife.com/2013/12/05/music-review-christopher-lawrence-presents-rush-hour-2013.aspx

6 December 2013 News Press