Fretwell delivers his first DJ mix in over a decade with an emotive-laden 80 minutes of progressive breaks…

Anyone with a passing interest in early and mid-2000s progressive breaks will know the name Fretwell. The Sheffield producer’s lush take on the sound was signed to renowned labels including Global Underground, Bedrock, and Electrofly, the breaks offshoot of Baroque Records. Most notably, he contributed the exquisite “Faceless” to Anthony Pappa’s Balance 006.

Nowadays, he occasionally returns to production, with recent works including remixes for Pole Folder’s Reworck imprint and Aussie label Zero Tolerance Recordings (his take on the classic Digby & Oliver track “Human“). It’s clear the veteran still possesses the magic that made him such a reliable production force.

In his first DJ mix in over a decade, he delivers a fluid 80-minute set in which his progressive breaks credentials are well and truly on display. Featuring tracks from James Harcourt, Luke Chable & Steve May, Forty Cats, Robert Babicz, this one demands repeated listens.

Name: Tim Fretwell
Location: Sheffield, UK
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Alias/Producer name: Fretwell
Labels affiliated with: Electrofly, Bedrock, Baroque, Mesmeric, RUNE Recordings, Reworck

Music was a major part of my life growing up. My mum was a primary school music teacher and my dad was a guitarist – I listened to many genres of music from rock to musicals, but my favourite was always electronic with particular favourites Depeche Mode and New Order.

In the 90s I was mainly listening to music coming out of the rave scene and later on that decade was heavily influenced by the progressive house scene, and was constantly listening to mixes like the Sasha and Digweed Renaissance mix, Northern Exposure 1/2, and Sasha GU:9 mixes.

I first started making music way back in the late 80’s on tracker programs on the Commodore Amiga!

Some of my first times seeing big name DJs would have been at Progress in Derby in the early 90’s – they were some great nights!

Going back over the years I have been inspired by many artists like Depeche Mode / Prodigy / Orbital / Moby. Many of my favourite artists are on this mix, i.e Quivver, Luke Chable, Framewerk, Ranj Kaler, McKeown & Bassiray. Recently I have been listening to a lot of Forty Cats, Lake Turner and Sound of Fractures. I just love their sound!

I listen to a lot of mixes, like the compiled and mixed by John Digweed. The artist albums I listen to the most are probably older albums like Sasha Airdrawndagger, BT Movement in Still Life as well as other artists like DMA’s. I also have Blue Weekend by Wolf Alice on heavy rotation! 🙂

I have several upcoming tracks later in the year. The track on this mix “Move On” will be released on RUNE Recordings as an EP with some other new breaks tracks. I also have a collaboration with my good friend Pole Folder on the horizon. I am currently working on several new projects tho, so expect more new music soon! 🙂

As I don’t normally do a DJ mix this mix was put together using my DAW of choice, Logic Pro. It contains tracks from some of my favourite artists, as well as some of my more recent most played tracks.

My new track in this mix “Move On” – I think it still has my old breaks sound, but with a more contemporary feel.

Lake Turner – Further Now – one of my favourite tracks of the past few years and at the top of my most played!

Whiplash – great film!

Brooklyn99 – Nine Nine!

Menorca / Cala Galdana

Balance-Walter Balance

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