Ben Miles Top Ten – Reckless Records London

Ben Miles Top Ten

We’ve got a special Top Ten this week! Actor and DJ Ben Miles (Coupling, V For Vendetta, Ninja Assassin, The Crown etc) is a regular customer at Reckless and we’re really chuffed that he’s done us an extra special Top Ten of tunes he bought at Reckless. Not only that but he’s also done us the first Reckless Mix of the tunes he’s picked for the Top Ten! Simply legendary behaviour!

RICHARD ACE/STAYIN ALIVE

This bounces like a ball. The original Bee Gees guitar lick is replaced by a stab-a-licious clavichord phrase, letting everyone know that this is a version of a classic pieces of 70’s pop disco that stands up easily on its own. The dub, when it comes, turns the track inside out and opens up a whole box of possibilities to follow on with. A classic.

 THE METERS/JUST KISSED MY BABY

The minute that guitar lick hits you, you know you’re not going anywhere. This is a sure-fire party beginner. Heads will nod and turn briefly to the booth. Before long you’ll have them. Every element fits like a glove. Southern Fried Funk gold.

 TOTO/AFRICA (LATE NIGHT TUFF GUY EDIT)

Stay with me… This pays off in a big way. Like Africa itself – it’s huge; it’s beautiful. A real blender, this will emerge from any low tempo party beginner like a golden savannah sunrise and take your crowd to wonderful new places. Epic 80’s synth rock put through the gentle funk cycle with typical LNTG skills.

 THE WHOLE DARN FAMILY/SEVEN MINUTES OF FUNK

Exactly what it says on the label… an irresistible four bars of wah bass and nailed down drums, then those horns… those keys…those strings…that guitar lick… guaranteed to lift a room and spread a smile. Nice synth/flute solos halfway in, so stick in there…

THE SYSTEM/YOU ARE IN MY SYSTEM

Perfect Teutonic machine funk. When Kraftwerk met Shalamar… Sharp and smooth at the same time, this epitomises the time when those who knew how to program also knew how to groove. Robert Palmer fancied a bit of this, but The System are unbeatable here.

 

 

BARBARA MASON/ANOTHER MAN (INSTRUMENTAL)

It always feels like it’s 5am somewhere in The East Village whenever I hear this. Simple, bold, funky experimental dub-funk that will have you swaying in electro bliss. The electric soul of 1983 at its modernist best.

TONY COOK AND THE PARTY PEOPLE/ON THE FLOOR (ROCK-IT)

This shouldn’t work: a poem about Martians put through a pitch shifter? A pre 808 break? Then someone gets on the faders and in comes the boogie. Back in 1984, these guys were channelling the future of the decade and dancefloors beyond. Even the chipmunk chant fits. 

 BLACK SCIENCE ORCHESTRA/NEW JERSEY DEEP

THIS IS A REAL GROOVE. I FIRST HEARD THIS AT THE BACK END OF A HORRIBLE 90’S cd comp at the back end of the horrible 90’s and it came in grinning like a breath of fresh funky air. I asked myself what the f is this? Whenever I do that, I know it’s going to be a keeper. This is fabulous rework of all the best bits of Wood Brass and Steel’s Funkanova, beefed up with low end goodness by the master Mr. Ashley Beedle. A timeless piece of feelgood. Can be served alongside Joey Negro’s re work of Keep The Fire Burning for extra flavour.

THE HUMAN LEAGUE/THINGS THAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF (ORIGINAL 12” DUB)

The series of 12’s produced for The Human League by Martin Rushent in the early 1980’s are – in my opinion – total works of genius. Sonically they are as big and hard as a Sheffield bouncer, but much more fun. The things they were doing with their Rolands and Oberheims were way ahead of their time. If you get the chance, play the instrumental dub of Fascination alongside Aphex Twin’s Windowlicker for evidence. This track is one of the more abstract of those 12’s. The opening drum pattern hits you like The Glitter Band on Ketamine… then to work with huge reverbs and dubbed up pop, the like of which has rarely been heard since. Phil Oakey’s inspired lyric of ‘New York/Ice Cream/TV/Travel/Good Times…’ is high pop art.

 DINOSAUR L/ GO BANG (FRANCOIS K MIX)

This is a gem from the creative chaos that was New York City in the early 80’s, back when no one gave a shit about genre as long as the funk was with you. One long dub improv from the untouchable Francois K with no master plan other than to make you move like you never thought you would.

And heres the mix from Ben!

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