DJ Fresh is a legend of the UK dance scene, operating mainly in the drum & bass scene and kicking off his career in the spotlight when he was just 21. Not only is he a successful solo act and DJ, he is a co-founder of Breakbeat Chaos, the hugely influential label run with Adam F.
After scoring huge hits with the likes of Gold Dust, Hot Right Now (featuring Rita Ora), The Power (featuring Dizzee Rascal), Earthquake, (with Diplo and Dominique Young Unique) and Dibby Dibby Sound (featuring Ms Dynamite and Jay Fay) he now returns with a massive new collaboration, teaming up once again with the brilliant Dizzee Rascal along with drum and bass legend High Contrast for the rave-tinged track How Love Begins which is released 5 February.
We spoke to him to find out his Ultimate Playlist, and the stories behind his selections.
Listen to the whole playlist on Spotify
Favourite Lyric From a Song
"Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues. "I was raised up believing i was somehow unique, like a snowflake distinct among snowflakes unique in each way you can see. And now after some thinking, I'd say I'd rather be, a functioning cog in some great machinery serving something beyond me". I think this appeals to all creatives in some way, there are no guarantees when you’re an artist and sometimes you yearn for stability, even though by nature we tend to rebel against the status quo."
Favourite Movie Soundtrack Song
"Axel F - Someone needs to remix this! It brings back memories of my childhood. I thought Eddie Murphy was super cool! (back before the shady nineties Disney kid flicks!)"
Favourite Song From Your Childhood
"Jean Michelle Jarre - Equinoxe. It was this track that paved the way for my obsession with electronic music, my Dad used to listen to him and Tomita. After this I got into indie stuff like The Pixies and The Cure."
Favourite Club Anthem
"Josh Wink - Higher State of Conciousness. This was enormous when I first started sneaking into clubs wearing a dubious fake moustache...got away with it. Don’t tell anyone."
Favourite One Hit Wonder
"House of Pain - Jump Around. Even hearing that name makes me crack up. It always seemed weird the idea of globally successful Irish rappers back in the days of Tupac and LL Cool J!"
Favourite Song No One Else Has Heard Of
"Guzarish by Ghajini. I heard this in an Indian restaurant in Moscow! I found it online and made my own edit of it just for me to listen to. Whenever I have a few friends round, I bombard people with it, such a great track."
Favourite Sad Song
"Letter to Elise by The Cure. The Cure were my favourite band in my early teens. I was lucky enough to end up doing some work later with Chris Parry who produced them and started Fiction (the label they were signed to) and later XFM. I was so in awe of him I found it difficult talking to him!"
Favourite Current Song
"It is an undeniable club smash, a real underground sounding record that is becoming a commercial crossover success which is so great to see. A big tune to drop in any set!"
Favourite Party Song
"The Ghostbusters title track by Ray Parker Junior. This always gets people jumping at a house party, it's a surprising one to pull out of the bag. Surprises always get the best reaction!"
Favourite Song from your Own Music
"Probably Chacruna off my Kryptonite album. Chacruna is the plant used to prepare Ayahuasca for Shamen Rituals, I sampled a young girl singing about it in the peruvian rainforest...trippy."
(Images: Rex)
