Label
City Road Records
32A003
- A tribute to the last incarnation of the Idle Hands record shop from four bright Bristol talents.
- Nostalgia can be bittersweet, especially if you're Idle Hands, the Bristol record store run by DJ Chris Farrell. Following the triple threat of Covid-19, Brexit and the cost-of-living crisis, Farrell announced last year that he had to close his store due to a big drop in customers. This was a blow for Bristol. The city had already seen Peverelist's Rooted Records go in 2010, meaning that (since 2011) Idle Hands had been one of the only places left in the city that championed its thriving underground electronic music scene. On hearing of the closure, fans were quick to respond and raised £10,000 for the shop. It was a heartwarming response that has given Farrell the belief that he might be able to continue his trade in some capacity. But the old place on City Road is gone, a location that he poured so much love into even named a label after. But rather than mope, Farrell has put out 32A003, a vinyl-only single on City Road Records that honours his time there with four dance floor tracks by four local artists, whose music represents the sort of UK-centric stuff that Farrell was pushing at the shop.
There's a rugged optimism to 32A003. Potent and chintzy slabs of bass interrupt a teary fanfare on Sir Hiss's Diver, giving it grit. "What U Needed"'s piano chords are long and soulful, but Wilfy D roughens everything up into a garage banger with fidgety vocal grabs and a cockney call for a rewind. Although not as rude, "Mojito" and "RMV TH VWLS" still have flare. The hi hats and snares on OH91's grime instrumental "Flavours" land like a light punch combo on a beat 'em up game. And the perky mallet hits on DJ Polo's UK funky tune "RMV TH VWLS" are a welcome contrast to its tough and brooding drums. This double-edged sword of light and dark, rough and smooth, runs right through 32A003. For every one of its more sincere moments there's something brighter—and sweeter—lying in wait just round the corner.
TracklistA1 Wilfy D - When You Needed
A2 OH91 - Flavour
B1 DJ Polo - RMV TH VWLS
B2 Sir Hiss - Diver