The day has arrived. Chris Lake, one of house music’s biggest icons, has just released his debut album, Chemistry. After 20 years of touring and carving out his own unmistakable sound, we’ve finally got an album. Self-released via his very own Black Book Records, this album sees Lake operate on his own terms. No label influence, just a collection of tracks cohesively created solely with his vision.
It is without question that Chris Lake is part of the reason house music has made the main stage. His pristine production and undeniable live performances have helped elevate the genre. It is not entirely common for house artists to release albums either, seeing that after 20 years we’re getting Chris Lake’s debut album is proof of that. Even further nowadays artists typically release several tracks from the album prior to the album release and Lake kept the majority of the tracks under wraps. A move that strays away from DJs’ tendency to road-test songs. Chris Lake instead was confident that what he created would land. With each and every move Chris Lake makes his mark.
Chemistry has everything you want if you’re a Chris Lake fan. Euphoric and emotional numbers alongside club shakers. The album stands at 15 tracks with 13 of them being studio collaborations with artists Lake intently selected because of creative chemistry rather than streaming metrics. “Ease My Mind” with Abel Balder and “In My Head” with Amber Mark lead the charge for the album, but it’s tracks like “Reach For You” with MPH and Kelly Lee Owens and “Falling” with Bonobo and Turn Of The Lights collaborator Alexis Roberts that will truly take your breath away. Lake also calls upon his wife Aatig for a vibrant house number in “Watch The Sunrise.”
Chemistry represents a culmination of 20 years of creativity, integrity and trailblazing in the house music scene for Chris Lake. On the album, Lake had this to share,
“I hope Chemistry draws more people into the deeper side of dance music. There’s a vulnerability in putting this out there, but that’s where the real connection happens. I’d love to see more full-length albums coming out of this space, and I want to help that grow.”
Stream the album below and enjoy!