Bristol based DJ / producer Ben Wilson works under the alias Fields for solo projects and Mute when collaborating with Villem. His latest release is Reel Funk on Break’s Symmetry imprint so we caught up with him for a chat and guest mix…
Tell us more about Reel Funk on Symmetry… what did you have in mind when you made it?
I originally set out to try and make a dnb tune with 808 drums but had no other idea of where it would go. As with most of my sessions, I tend to try and let the tune follow its own path and not get too caught up in certain constraints or styles. Charlie Break and Mako came out to visit me whilst I was away snowboarding, I played them the loop and Charlie said straight away he was interested in the track for Symmetry. Was good incentive to get it finished!
How did you hook up with Break in the first place and what’s it like working with him?
We originally met when Break moved to Bristol and was brought round to the Utopia HQ by mutual friends. We had a good crew already, everyone making beats and hanging out, so obviously it was a no-brainer to bring Break into the mix. Bristol feels like a nice close-knit dnb community to some extent, so we all hang out lots, get breakfast and play Xbox. It’s great to work with Charlie; as a friend and someone that I had looked up to for quite some time, it makes perfect sense!
You also work alongside Villem as Mute, how does working solo and collaborating compare?
Villem is my older brother so working with him is pretty natural. We live on opposite sides of the country now though so it doesn’t happen as much at the moment. Working on your own is more self-indulgent, you don’t have to please the collaborators so you can get pretty freestyle. I’ve been lucky enough to work with some pretty talented engineers and producers so it’s always been a pleasure to be honest.
Got any other releases / remixes in the pipeline we should look out for?
There’s the next Utopia release that features a collab between myself, Break, Mako & Villem. We’ve also just signed a Mute & Mako 12” to Ingredients Records. Hopefully I have a collab with Mako coming on Metalheadz … that will be one ticked off the bucket list when it happens!
Are you making any other styles of music apart from drum & bass?
I’ve been making some hip hop with the Maschine controller. Trying to keep it simple, getting grooves with the pads MPC style. It’s such a different way of working to sequencing in the box, it makes a refreshing change. I’ll set up an alias at some point and get the beats out there. As soon as I can accept the fact that I’ll never be as good as Dilla.
Tell us a bit more about your guest mix and how you went about selecting the tracks for it…
It’s a selection of tracks that I’m really feeling at the moment, a lot from my co-collaborators and extended family. What can I say, they’re all making such good stuff at the moment! With all this sun I’ve been feeling the summer rollers, so it starts in that domain and then gets a bit darker and techier.
What’s the best gig you played in the last six months?
Probably my trip to Lithuania as a whole. I played two gigs over there and the hospitality was the best I’ve ever had! Big up Gytis and the crew! Crazy venues, good crowds, and the girls… You have to go basically!
What tracks, producers and labels are you feeling at the moment?
There’s literally so much I’m feeling right now I could go on for days! DnB is sounding as fresh as ever but in particular I’m loving the new hip-hop sounds of labels like Soulection and HW&W. Music in general seems to be exploding with talent in 2014. Also… DLR & Mako’s album… you wait!
Anything else you want to tell us about?
I’m getting a new mountain bike on Saturday… wish my collarbones luck! Enjoy the sun and stay smiling! Peace.
Download Fields’ Kmag guest mix here
Tracklist
- Villem – Bring Us Closer (IM:LTD)
- Phase-Won’t Stop (Demand)
- Kalm & Danny Vibes – Living In The Red (Villem & McLeod Remix) (Flexout Audio)
- Joakuim & RoyGreen & Protone – Now Is The Time
- Chromatic – Found You (Utopia)
- Calibre – CLIPPER MAN (CIA)
- Release – Tu-Rok (Proximity)
- Break – Duck for Cover (Symmetry)
- Sine – ???
- Fields – Reel Funk (Symmetry)
- Dabs & Cern – Hell Rose (Villem & McLeod Rmx) (Dispatch)
- Fields – Elemental (Utopia)
- Hydro & War – ???
- DLR & Mako – Your Mind (Metalheadz)
- Scorpio – Division 1 (V Recs)
- Dr Meaker ft. Sian Evans – Right Back (Break Remix) (V Recs)