Artist: Christopher LawrenceTitle: Exposure IVLabel: Hook Recordings/System RecordingsFormat: CDScore: 0 0 0 0 0
With the rising commercialism of electronic dance music, the genre of trance has taken steps backward and is starting to be seen as a complete faux pas at Tupperware parties. A dirty word of sorts, trance has definitely seen better days. But this is not the case with Christopher Lawrence, who brings in Hook Recording's latest installment of the everlasting Exposure series, a compilation that typically has been set aside for Hook's general releases. Lawrence, however, takes Exposure IV into unchartered territory, using a combination of driving trance and some of the finest progressive tracks for a seamless musical experience. Exposure IV starts off in traditional CL style, with one of Hook's resident artists, Transa, on a song called "Nightstalker," which uses popular catch phrases from The Matrix. The mix really opens up once Crash Guard's "Outbreak" is brought in from "Bohemian Groove," by Illuminati, and a total mind f*&% is unleashed as Nuw Idol's "Touch the Lazer" is used as the precursor to Syntax's "Pray" and MORPH's "MxM Overdrive." Lawrence does a wonderful job with Exposure IV-this is the sound that the trance purists crave and he seems more than willing to provide. Another class mix from the Trance Messiah.-JW
Artist: Tony TouchTitle: The Last of the Pro RicansLabel: Sequence RecordsFormat: CDScore: 0 0 0 0
In his latest release, The Last of the Pro Ricans, Tony Touch (aka Tony Toca, aka Juan Bobo, aka The Piece Maker) hooks up with Sequence Records to continue his mix-tape onslaught, with 14 neck-breaking joints, featuring The Beatnuts, Fat Joe, and Afu-Ra. With blistering tracks and all-star performances, every song in The Last of the Pro Ricans evokes head-nodding, body-thumping beats with no evident interruption. And with wordsmiths like Guru of Gang Starr and Cormega on the mics, this CD will not give you the second-rate lyricism found in 90 percent of the albums this year. Tony Touch's expertise behind the 1s and 2s is evident from beginning to end.-RFC
Artist: Roni SizeTitle: Touching DownLabel: Full Cycle RecordsFormat: CDScore: 0 0 0 0
Drum 'n' bass heads, listen up-Roni Size is finally releasing his first all-Roni-all-the-time album, Touching Down. Full of his own original productions mixed onto a single set, this 16-track set is full of hardcore beats that cause major head-bobbage. Notable listens include the intro with "Sound Advice," "Scrambled Eggs," and "Sorry for You." To those of you who are unfamiliar with the d 'n' b genre, you'll get much high-bpm pleasure in owning a copy of Touching Down-and the regulars will keep on bobbin'.-JW 0
Artist: MochipetTitle: Randbient Works 2002Format: CDLabel: Btrendy Records, www.mochipet.comScore: 0 0 0 0
You've heard of jungle, right? Drum 'n' bass probably sounds familiar enough. You're well-versed in trance. Seems like electronica is pretty old-hat to you then, huh? Well get ready for a whole new fist to knock your teeth out-his name is Mochipet, and they call him Mochipet. Er, his name is David Wang, but you can call him Mochipet. Sorry, we're still seeing stars thanks to this album. Randbient Works 2002 is David's latest mix-slam-bang-snare-bass extravaganza, showcasing a style that's so unique, it doesn't even have an overworked, generalized catchphrase genre to file it under yet. He likes to call it "polka electronic death country," but that makes about as much sense as a recent presidential speech. All we know is that the beats are hard and caffeinated-perhaps even schizophrenic versions of jungle DJs on crack spinning acid hardcore, if that makes any sense. Not that it should, because once you hear the track entitled, "Dessert Search for Techno Baklava," you'll be reeling for days too. Gypsy guitars intro the song, luring you with their auspicious melody. Then the beats drop down from the sky like an apocalyptic rain, pounding your senses with calculated malice. You try to sit back and enjoy the complexity, but it's making your heart thump with adrenaline. You have to move to it-Mochipet controls you! Then, waking from your dizzy spell, you realize the song is over. Depressed, you head for the freezer, craving ice cream blobs coated with rice flour. Then you hit repeat and the storm begins all over again.-RB