Chris Lake
From 2000s progressive house and a UK top 30 hit to tech house on his own Black Book Records: the two careers of Chris Lake.
- English DJ and producer born in 1982, active since 2002.
- His 2006 single “Changes”, featuring Laura V, reached No. 27 in the UK.
- Co-founder of Black Book Records, launched with “Operator (Ring Ring)”.
Chris Lake has had two careers in dance music. The first, in the 2000s, was built on progressive house, bootlegs and a UK top 30 single. The second, from the mid-2010s, made him one of the leading names in tech house, with his own label, Black Book Records, at the centre.
Bootlegs and Rising Music
Lake is English but moved to Scotland at about 15. He first drew attention in 2002 with bootleg remixes of The Prodigy’s “Climbatize”, Leftfield’s “Phat Planet” and Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams”, released under the alias Cristophe D’Abuc. In 2006 the Mistakes EP came out on Rising Music, and “Changes”, featuring Laura V, reached No. 27 on the UK Singles Chart. After a worldwide release through Universal it climbed to No. 10 on Billboard’s Hot Dance Airplay chart. In 2007 “Carry Me Away”, featuring Emma Hewitt, went to No. 1 on that chart, and “Only One” and “If You Knew”, featuring Nastala, both became US dance top 10 hits.
His work with deadmau5 on the album 4×4=12 brought him a first Grammy nomination in 2012.
The tech house turn
In 2014 Lake appeared on “Delirious (Boneless)” with Steve Aoki, Tujamo and Kid Ink, a record Beatportal describes as a turning point. In 2015 five of his tracks came out on Ultra Records, and with Chris Lorenzo he released “Piano Hand” and “The Calling”; the two also work together as Anti Up, while Lake and Fisher formed Under Construction. Then came the records that defined his later sound: “Operator (Ring Ring)”, featuring Dances With White Girls (2017), “Turn Off the Lights”, featuring Alexis Roberts (2018), and “Deceiver” with Green Velvet (2018). In 2019 he released “Free Your Body” with Solardo.
Black Book Records
Black Book was born in a hurry. On a Skype call in 2016, Lake played an unreleased version of “Operator (Ring Ring)” to BBC Radio 1’s Danny Howard, who was standing in for Annie Mac and wanted it as Friday’s Hottest Record. Within two days Lake and Ian Massoth had a label, a name and a logo, sketched on a napkin. “Operator” became its first release.
Black Book has since released music by Cloonee, Mau P, Mochakk, HoneyLuv, MPH and Chris Lorenzo, launched the Black Book IDs compilation series in 2021 and ranked sixth among labels in Beatport’s 2026 mid-year report. Its events arm has sold more than 300,000 tickets, including shows at Space Miami.
Lake kept collaborating along the way: the EPs Close Your Eyes (2018, with Walker & Royce) and The Answer (2020, with Armand van Helden), and “Lies, Deception, and Fantasy” with Lee Foss (2019). On 26 May 2019 he played the Snake Pit at the Indianapolis 500. His debut studio album, Chemistry, followed in 2025.
In the mix
Lake’s Black Book records are built for long tech house sets: tight drums, a bassline and one vocal hook. For the progressive side of his story, read about deadmau5’s “Strobe”; for more tech house, keep digging with Patrick Topping.
FAQ
What is Chris Lake’s label?
Black Book Records, which he co-founded with Ian Massoth. Its first release was “Operator (Ring Ring)”.
What was Chris Lake’s first hit?
“Changes” featuring Laura V (2006). It reached No. 27 in the UK and No. 10 on Billboard’s Hot Dance Airplay chart.
Has Chris Lake released an album?
Yes. His debut studio album, Chemistry, came out in 2025.
