Lawrence Hart is a synth-hoarding multi-instrumentalist with a serious knack for production. The London artist melodically and technically breaks boundaries with his musicality and production, creating a symbiosis of club-stirring dance fuel with more contemplative listening pieces, often within the same track. His latest example of this is his new emotive cut ‘How The Light Gets In’, out now. The track is from his upcoming EP ‘Music For Dark Spaces’, dropping in full March 3rd.
Lawrence has been getting love from Radio 1’s Jack Saunders, Sarah Story, Pete Tong, Danny Howard, plus Reprezent Radio, Rinse FM and plenty more tastemakers who can’t get enough of him. DMCWorld caught up with Lawrence to get his Back to Mine picks.
Miles Davis – In A Silent Way
Miles has been the biggest influence on me musically. I spent my late teens and early twenties playing Jazz trumpet in New York, all because of Miles. This record was an important one for me, I would listen to it every night before bed as a kind of ritual. Still gives me shivers when I hear those first few notes.
Igor Stravinsky – The Rite Of Spring
I first heard The Rite Of Spring at school during music class. I would finish my work early and my teacher would give me a classical CD to take off to another room to listen to. It was little room with a CD player, headphones and desk and that was it. That first listen of The Rite of Spring is still one of the most intense experiences of my life. The chords in Spring Rounds manage to be melancholic and euphoric at the same time.
Steve Reich – Music For 18 Musicians
In my early teens I got obsessed with the ECM records. At first I was mainly listening to their Jazz records but over time I started listening to their classical out as well. Music for 18 Musicians was pivotal moment for me. It was my first real exposure of minimalism and gave me a real understanding of counterpoint.
Four Tet – Sun Drums And Soil
This record came out right as I had moved to the US. It was one of the first electronic records I was exposed and my gateway drug into electronic music. At the time I wasn’t into overly synthesised sounds, so Four Tet’s use of organic textures really resonated with me.
AFX – Crying In Your Face
A friend of mine at collage played me this in my first year and I was instantly hooked. It was the first record I had heard made with synths and drum machines that I actually liked. The juxtaposition of the cold sounds and emotive melodies really made an impression.
Caribou – Sun
By the time this record came out I was playing a lot less Jazz and touring with an Indie rock band. It floored me on the first listen, and I instantly thought ‘I wanna be making music like that’.
Special Request – Change
This track to me is one of the most moving pieces of electronic music I’ve ever heard. Paul Woolford is one of those untouchable producers, operating on another plane.
Duke Ellington, Mahalia Jackson – Black, Brown and Beige Pt. 4 (Come Sunday)
My favourite Duke Ellington record by far. Mahalia vocals are hauntingly beautiful.
Nicolas Jaar – Space Is Only Noise If You Can See
The drop in this track blew my mind when I first heard it. There’s so little in the track when it drops but it feels so big.
Caribou – Jameilia
10 years on and this track still feels as fresh as ever. The mix feels simultaneously fragile and tough to me.
Lawrence Hart ‘How The Light Gets In’ is out now on Attack Decay Sweet Release
https://bfan.link/how-the-light-gets-in
Watch out for his full ‘Music for Dark Spaces’ EP, out March 3rd.
