Chris Lake, For Chris Lake, making people dance is more than a career It's an obsession. Over nearly two decades, the GRAMMY-nominated artist has become one of house music's most compelling figures. In that time he's lived many lives as a producer, DJ, and label head, all connected by his ability to make big moments both onstage and in his music. Recent singles such as "Summertime Blues," his brisk but breezy collaboration with Sammy Virji, and his songs with Aluna - the smoldering "Beggin'" and hypnotic "More Baby" - have yielded appearances on Billboard's Hot DanceElectronic Songs chart. Expertly occupying the middle ground between dance music's underground and commercial realms, the British producer's finely-tuned ear for club-forward basslines and catchy vocals plays a large role in his success. Ultimately, it's the result of following his creative instincts. "I guess I primarily make stuff for me and what feels good for me," he says, "but I try to give it my flair without taking it too seriously. I'm not scared of a song, I'm not scared of a melody, and I'm not scared of a moment. I just try to have fun with this stuff." In addition to DJing and producing, Lake is the founder of Black Book Records. Launched in 2017 and since signed to Astralwerks, it's home to many of his biggest tracks in recent years, such as "A Drug From God," his sky-scraping collaboration with Grimes' AI girl group, NPC; the transcendent "I Remember"; and the long-awaited ID "In The Yuma" (ft. Aatig). Releases from heavyweights like Green Velvet, Armand Van Helden, and Kevin Saunderson prove it's status as a coveted label for producers, but Lake has also undertaken Black Book Records as a developmental platform, helping launch newer names including Cloonee, Miane, and Mochakk. With his years of experience, he feels a responsibility to not just increase their exposure, but guide early-career artists in navigating the industry. Through special events like the recent Black Book On The Pier weekender and an exclusive collaboration with premier technology-enabled fashion brand MNTGE, the label's reach is ever-expanding. "We're not just looking to put out big records and make lots of money," Lake says. "We care about artists, we care about the scene, we care about events, and the bigger picture that's relevant to the dance scene. Most labels struggle to put that all together and I feel very proud that we've managed to do that." In the midst of an ongoing tour, Lake pauses to think about what keeps him going almost twenty years on. Perhaps more than making people dance, his specialty is leaving dance music's people and culture better than he found it. "It gives me this increased love of the power of a single song and the effect that it can have on anyone's life," he finally replies. "I love the idea that I have this blessing to make a song and give one or more people that feeling. It's just amazing, and I feel like as the years go on, I get better and better at doing it."