by John BushWhen the Scottish trance label Hook decided to release a retrospective, who better to spin the mix than "America's top trance DJ" Christopher Lawrence, the producer of two Hook singles himself. The result, Hook Recordings, is Lawrence's best mix album, perhaps because it's as much a labor of love than a day at the office. Obviously, the tracks must be given some credit; although they're statuesque and self-important as only trance can be, they're also much harder and more minimal than the norm, sticking to the point with no reliance on over-the-top effects or continuous breakdowns. Highlights come from X-Cabs (own remixes of "Prophase" and "Neuro"), DeNiro ("Evolver"), and Dawntreader ("Dominion"), while Lawrence's pair of inclusions also do well. Lawrence strips these tracks down to the bone so much so that a few techno fans may even find themselves crossing the fence to give this one a try.