Chris Lake Is Craving Something New

Make music. Drop the single. Remember to post! Hit the stage. Push the recap. Don’t sleep — bus, club, ‘nother club. If the music industry is built on a never-ending grind, where do you find the joy? Chris Lake is trying to find out. The star DJ-producer is in a self-imposed slow period in his career — as I learn after a time-zone mix-up meant I accidentally ghosted him on Google Meet in early August. “I didn’t cry too long,” he quips when we finally connect. “It actually worked out. I just got off the call, mixed a record, and it sounds great.” Deep exhale. “Honestly, even if we need to talk again later, it’s fine,” he adds warmly. “I’m doing f*ck-all right now.”

Our definitions of “f*ck-all” clearly differ. Amidst at-home studio sessions, he’s still got a fall packed with festival dates and just released “Long Jacket,” his groovy new house tune alongside Chris Lorenzo and Kenny Beats that reimagines Cake’s 2001 alt-rock staple “Short Skirt/Long Jacket” as a swirling four-to-the-floor romp into clubland. But it’s all a relative comedown from his 2025, a year in which Lake landed his first Grammy nomination, fielded personal remix requests from Taylor Swift, and — his crowning achievement — released Chemistry, his years-in-the-making debut album that arrived only when the 44-year-old veteran felt ready to tell a complete sonic story about those magical moments when things just click.

“That really dominated my life, my mindset, my focus, my mental capacity for anything and everything — it’s what I woke up thinking about, and it’s what I fell asleep thinking about,” he says of the project. “I’ve not really been like that this year because I haven’t had as clear of a vision of what I wanted to do or what I wanted to achieve, so it’s really shifted my focus toward life, health, personal fulfillment, and enjoyment. And that’s OK because I feel like I’ve ordered myself the space to do that.”

In the two decades since his breakout single “Changes,” he’s seen plenty of them. In himself, as he’s gone from rising star behind ravey earworms like “Operator (Ring Ring)” and “Turn Off the Lights” to championing the next generation of talent with his Black Book Records. And in the industry, as dance music has evolved into a global culture-shifting force just as social media and streaming changed, well, just about everything. As he tells NYLON in a wide-ranging conversation, he’s sometimes worried about where the industry is headed. The good news, though? Lake’s not done evolving either.

What’s the best thing you ate on the road this year?

I’m going to hit the boys on the tour chat, and we’re going to come back to that question.

OK, I’ll wait. As a newly minted album artist, do you feel like you have to stay that course now and release full bodies of work?

I’m way beyond letting myself feel external pressure for anything. All the pressure that I have felt for years is from my own desire to achieve things according to my goals, and with that, honestly, this year has been quite relaxed. I do think that’s been a consequence of completing a campaign that took several years — Chemistry came out in July 2025, but I was writing that for two years prior, and planning the release and execution a year before that. Now, I don’t feel under pressure at all to show everyone what’s the next thing.

Does this mean you already have GTA 6 on preorder?

Listen… I’m f*cked if I download that game. And ARC Raiders. Oh my God! I played that so much. These games can be a problem. But come on, man! I’m turning 44 in a few days. Like, grow up Chris, for f*ck’s sake!

But there’s a lot of nostalgia in video games! And you dial it back to 2001 with “Long Jacket,” your new rework of a Cake classic. Do you find yourself leaning more into familiar sounds?

It’s funny you talk about nostalgia. I don’t know if we should go down this route because I have some very strong opinions about that which could be seen as very negative.

Let’s hear it.

I say this with so much hesitancy because I feel like I have this overly pessimistic opinion of where the creative industry is sleepwalking towards: A lot of people are failing to recognize and accept that this industry is really starting to slowly become less creative and more capitalistic day by day as we head towards instant gratification, instant satisfaction, and instant recognition.

If you actually look within house music and all of its satellites, I would hazard the guess that at least 90% of it — probably far more — is heavily borrowing from old ideas, referencing old sounds and vibes, and there are very few people approaching the scene right now with the idea of truly delivering something new and fresh and bold and innovative. I feel there’s just less and less of that coming along. [Laughs.] I’m so pissed you asked me this question!

This is the honesty we crave!

I don’t say this as an authority, and I know I feed into it sometimes as well. I just don’t know if there’s that much of a nucleus to this scene that’s truly making something new, and I don’t even know if there’s that much space for something truly new to come along. So then, are we kidding ourselves? Are we actually creative?

We’re falling into loops that are driven by money, algorithms — it’s almost designed to water down creativity, unfortunately.

Look, this is the problem with giving myself space to do less — I start thinking more about stuff like this! I actually had a conversation about this subject with one of my best mates. He told me, “You’re turning into a miserable c*nt. You’re being very negative about the music scene right now.” And he’s right. I am. I’m feeling that a bit acutely right now. You’re gonna have to find a way to write that and not make me out like a miserable c*nt!

“There were moments back in the EDM days where I was doing things for the wrong reasons — money being one of them.”

Not c*nty! I think you’re saying what a lot of artists are feeling, if not sharing publicly. So, how do we fix it?

We all recognize patterns. Can you not feel it in, like, AI-generated graphics, these spectacularly generated videos of humanoid caricatures? Upon first watch, it’s shocking to consider they aren’t real. But then over enough of them, you start realizing, “This is fake.”

When we start noticing these patterns within music, it can be exciting, and then after a while, it becomes fatiguing because we recognize those patterns, and we start rejecting them. My perception is that if we, as a collective, just focus more on art and less on the instant satisfaction, then maybe it shifts. But look at the movie industry — this is a perfect example of the danger we’re in.

Do you have your tickets for Fast and the Furious 27 yet?

I’ve almost given up on going out and watching a movie because I’m expecting it to be some rehashed bollocks, and if people start expecting that from music, that’s truly problematic. But then it gets more positive when you realize there’s more to artistry now than simply putting out songs. There’s also live performance, and that’s probably as impactful and as exciting as it's ever been. These shows are pretty unbelievable. That’s definitely the saving grace right now.

Does collaboration fuel creativity? Between Chemistry — packed with guests like Amber Mark, MPH, Yael Watchman, and more — and singles like “Party Time” with Tiga and Aatig, you’re at work with the best.

It’s just more reflective of the way that I would like to work now. I enjoy being in a room with people and sharing an experience — and the music being a representation of what results from that kind of interaction. In this period of life, I've had less to offer all from me, if that makes sense. I crave putting myself in a different headspace, and working with Tiga was a great example: It gave me an opportunity to flex the side of me as a producer that I would have felt fraudulent to do if I wasn’t working with Tiga. It was the first time we worked together, and it was fantastic. I hope to work with him more.

When did you feel that mindset shift?

I’ve had this mindset for a very long time. I’m not driven by being the biggest artist. I’m not driven by financial success. I just want to do things that interest me. I want to enjoy this, because otherwise, what was the f*cking point? But there were moments back in the EDM days where I went through a period of making choices that were influenced by other people. I was doing things for the wrong reasons — money being one of them. Capitalist opportunities are just not the best way to make your choices. Now, when things come along, I sometimes think, “What would 18-year-old me think? What does current me think? What would me in 20 years think of this decision and this opportunity?” Often the last thing I’d be considering is, “What am I getting paid for doing it?” I think you should make your decisions based on how much you want to do it today. And that’s what I do, every time.

“I can technically do everything to make a song from start to finish, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right decision to do everything 100% myself.”

Your remix of the Chemical Brothers’ “Galvanize” was clearly something you really wanted to do — you got a Grammy nomination for Best Remixed Recording!

100%, I love the Chemical Brothers. They’re so f*cking good. That’s the second track I’ve remixed for them. When the “Galvanize” opportunity came along, I was like, “I’ll try, but I think this is going to be one of the hardest remixes I’ve ever done.” And it was surprisingly easy, actually. It just kind of came together like that.

Do you think it helped introduce a new generation to their productions?

It's funny you say that. Their song “Go” just went viral this year, probably not because of my remix, but because it was in a Netflix movie. So now there’s a whole new audience that’s been opened up to their fantastic catalog.

“Galvanize” brings me back to the nostalgia point. When you tap into that, you make gold. Something’s hitting — rehash or not.

True, and I did “Toxic” last year [a rework of Bell Biv DeVoe’s new jack swing anthem “Poison”], and there are samples on Chemistry. On the track with Bonobo, we sampled Joni Mitchell.

What pulls you toward a sample? That viral post of you and the boys tinkering with “We Like to Party!” was a trip!

The Vengaboys one was a bit of a laugh — we haven’t released that or anything, but that’s one of the joys of streaming with Chris Lorenzo and Eats Everything. You put three mildly stupid English guys in a room, and we will make stupid things happen. And that’s exactly what happened. We wanted to make that repetitive drum loop kind of cool, and somehow it worked.

You and Skrillex have worked together for years. Your collabs on his new album, SOMA, are so rich and complex. What’s different about getting in the studio with him now versus years ago?

I think the synergy, especially when it comes to the four-four stuff, has really grown the last few years. The techno stuff he’s making is ridiculously good. He’s been playing shows in Germany, and I don’t think it’s what people would expect. He’s loving these shows, loving these experiences.

We meet up often when we’re in LA, sometimes in London, to work and cook and share our new ideas. We show each other music that we think is exciting and has something to offer for the future of what we each could be doing. He’s a fantastic influence on me. I find him unbelievably inspiring.

Is he the type of innovator the industry needs right now?

His approach is truly an antidote to everything that I said I thought was negative in the scene. That’s the sort of energy that’s important for creative growth. I think there are plenty of other artists that have fresh ideas, but he’s a superstar example of it.

How can other artists follow that lead and get out of their own way?

You need to be ready to fail. You should be OK with putting out a song and not worrying about it hitting loads of streams. It’s not just about being a success on the algorithm. Sure, if you just want to be famous, that might be hard. But I think I’d still make music even if it wasn’t working for me financially because I love making music.

“Apparently Taylor and Travis had been listening to my music around the house nonstop. The label said, ‘Taylor and Travis personally asked if Chris would remix the track?’”

This is the way! But it sounds like these days you’re doing more than just making music. So, what’s a perfect day for Chris Lake?

Try and get a good night’s sleep, for sure. Sleep, nutrition, and exercise are three massively important things for me.

Are you keeping with your sauna/ice bath/sauna regimen?

Not so much the ice bath any more. I’ll be honest, my balls hate it! It just seems a little bit overly aggressive. But the sauna feels really good. I’ve been trying to get off technology more. I took up golf. I’m terrible at it, but I am thankful for how much it takes me away from my phone and makes me much more present with whoever I’m with, so that’s been fun. I f*cking suck, but I did get a hole-in-one!

That’s some crazy beginner’s luck. Who are you playing with?

I only started eight months ago. A bunch of producers are into golf, and I’m also playing with managers and people in the industry. It’s great! I have a really impressive farmer’s tan now. Golf’s the main activity, but exercise is really big for me. I’m just trying to create the antidote for the negatives of touring. I’ve never truly found the solutions. I’ve been sober for 15 years, maybe even more, but I enjoy being healthy.

You’ll be rolling into Fashion Week fresh! Do any designers or stylists have your eye right now?

Not really, but with this I apply the same attitude that I take to music. I can technically do everything that is needed to make a song from start to finish, but that doesn't mean it’s the right decision for me to do everything 100% myself. If I feel like someone can do something better, then it’s a good idea for me to involve them. I take a similar approach to something like fashion. There are people who dedicate their life to this. I work with people that can help me make fashion choices that suit me, otherwise my f*cking head will explode. There’s too much sh*t to do.

You’re right, and we haven’t even talked about Black Book yet. Which artists from your label should we be watching?

MPH. He’s just crushing it. I love what he's doing. He’s really talented and a lovely guy. Works his ass off. There are not many people that are really coming close to being as good a producer as he is. He’s been one of my standouts.

I’m very proud of Black Book and have been since the beginning. It’s my little baby, basically. We’re approaching 10 years now and we’ve expanded the team. I’m just really happy with how we’re doing things over there.

Did the tour chat hive mind come to a consensus on the best meal yet?

Yes they did! This is so British of me, but I spent a month back in England and had a fantastic Sunday roast with my videographer. I’m 95% sure it was at Blue Boar Pub in Westminster. So yeah, I think my most memorable meal was actually just going back to the U.K. and having something that I would have had when I was a child.

“I’m way beyond letting myself feel external pressure for anything.”

Nostalgia, baby! One thing that was not on my 2026 bingo card: a Chris Lake remix of Taylor Swift.

I literally think I was at that roast dinner when that request came through. I’m not even kidding! That was something I was not expecting to come along either. Taylor had this song “Opalite,” and the label was looking to get a remix package done for the single.

Surreal! How did it all unfold?

Apparently Taylor and Travis had been listening to my music around the house nonstop. The label contacted my manager Brett and told him that story. They said, “Taylor and Travis personally asked if Chris would remix the track?” And I gave it a bit of thought — I was sorting my visa, it was my time off. This was something that I would not normally do, but it felt enticing because it was a challenge to me. I said, “Give me the stems. I can see if I can get something going.” And so I did. I worked on it. I did a couple of different versions. I hit up Travis on Insta, and I shared one with him. Those messages ended up being what we shared online together, because he was frothing on it. He loved it. And now I have a new fan base of Swifties!

Watch out world! How are they different from your typical fans?

One of the funniest messages I received was from the daughter of one of my father’s employees. He manages a fish factory, and when this girl heard about my remix and learned that my father was her mum's boss, she thought this was the best f*cking thing ever. I swear, she was like 8 years old and messaged me thinking it’s the closest she’ll ever get to Taylor Swift. I thought that was actually really cute. My niece thought this was unbelievable, and so did my best mates’ kids. These are interactions that I don’t normally get when I'm doing a track with, say, Sammy Virji, but when you do something for a person with social significance like Taylor Swift, it gets noticed in a different way.

So the Lake family fielded a lot of DMs over this?

The real moment where I realized the magnitude of what I’d done was when I spoke to my grandfather who’s 90 years old. He was the one who got me into music. He taught me how to play the church organ, which was my first instrument. With pride, I called him and told him that I’d been nominated for a Grammy, and unfortunately, he responded with, “Well, that sounds great. What’s a Grammy?” So then I told him, “Well, I also made a remix for Taylor Swift.” And he said, “That’s very impressive, I know who Taylor Swift is.” This is a man who shared a bill with The Beatles in Hamburg! He has musical experience, but he’s more aware of Taylor Swift than the Grammys.

Well, did you tell him that she has many Grammys herself?

She does have many Grammys! And I suppose my “Opalite” remix will be eligible next year — let’s see if this is the one that does it.

Top image credit: Billy Reid jacket; Elwood t-shirt; Ksubi jeans; Talent’s own jewelry; Diesel shoes.