‘Threads’ was my 1st album as Om Unit and this 10-year re-mastered anniversary edition comes around at what feels like a similar time for me of experimentation and finding new ways to connect sounds. Something of a full circle of sorts but then again I am marking time with this re-issue at a time where I can look back and feel very proud of the work still sounding so convincing. Now even better thanks to Subvert Central’s Robert Macchiochi!

Reflecting on the past 10 years since this record came out, I can say it’s been an incredibly fruitful journey, with the most striking element of it all being the opportunity to travel and meet so many people from so many different backgrounds with different world views and stories. I found that ‘Threads’ for many was their first insight into my music, and for some people was something of a milestone in their journey of exploring music itself with tracks like ‘The silence’ and ‘Governor’s Bay’ having been mentioned over the years as amongst favourites alongside some of the work released on Cosmic Bridge and Civil

I want to take a moment to give my Love and gratitude to all the featured vocalists. Thanks to Simon Jinadu for his angelic voice on ‘The Silence’, to Charlie Dark MBE for his reflective words on ‘The Road’ and to Alex ‘Bogues’ Rendall aka MC Jabu (of Jabu) for his intense delivery on ‘Patients’ as well as Jneiro Jarel for his self-reflective narration on “just sayin’” All 4 are still outliers in their own field and upstanding creative forces to boot. I feel blessed to have been able to capture them on this project.

Threads was made in a bedroom of 2a Station Rise in Tulse Hill, a flat I shared with journalist and writer Laurent Fintoni, in a space that had such a great sound to it that I’ll always miss that room. I hope that you feel the warmth that I felt then whilst making it. It’s been an adventure since and whilst I’ve moved on from a lot of the tropes intrinsic to the album, it will always remain a body of work that is dear to my heart.


Enjoy!
<3

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It’s always a joy to release music from friends, and ZamZam 91 is our first collab with a dear one, Jim Coles AKA Om Unit. It’s impossible to frame the breadth and depth of such a storied career in bass music in just a couple lines- so suffice to say that releases over decades on a who’s-who of seminal labels including Exit, Fabric, Planet Mu and of course his own Cosmic Bridge have cemented his rep as an absolute force in production and DJing across any number of genres and sub genres.

Coles’ roots in Bristol and deep love of dub and reggae - made beautifully explicit on his recent Acid Dub Studies LPs - come through strong on both sides. “The Canopy (Armageddon Style)” opens with ravey, arpeggiated synths worthy of Vangelis, punctuated by a brooding piano chord, building steadily into a dark and utterly apocalyptic steppers guaranteed to storm & batter down Babylon walls inside and out.

“Mystic 808” is a deep meditation, a slow stepper that ices down the furious energy of the A side and drops the tempo to suit. Recalling the heady days of original late 90s/early 2000s UK Dub - as well as early dub techno - stabs and melody caress, restrained percussion swims and multiplies in reverb and echo, orbits locked to the gravitational force of the massive and truly timeless bassline. Proper sound system material that will satisfy the heart and soul long after the dance is done.

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Four tracks of forward-thinking club music featuring his signature sound, taking in elements of Acid, Broken Beats, UK Techno and Dubbed out atmospheres. Melodies, hooks and basslines are plentiful on this one and the sights are set firmly on the dancefloor with most tracks landing around the 130-140bpm region.

'Atlantis' is yet another step forward in the evolution of a well-decorated but never stagnant artist who is ever-keen on exploring new possibilities.

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BRUCE, K-LONE, RHYTHMIC THEORY AND GLANCES line-up on this tearing 12" comp. TIP!

The 12" brings these four artists who have close ties to Chris Farrell’s Bristol based label and shop.

Bruce with a contemplative dancefloor dub in tribute to Alex T, esteemed Leeds record shop worker and DJ - sadly taken from us too young.

K-LONE delivers a subtle and subby house roller.

Rhythmic Theory makes a final appearance with a bumpy and bassy techno track.

Glances bring a deft funkiness to the broken techno sound.

This is the end of a chapter. The last Idle Hands release for the time being. The shop continues and new projects beckon.

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Idle Hands opens up 2021 with a new record from Dream Cycle. While being a new name on the label they continue on from a stellar run of records for Social Sneaker Club. Here they continue their exploration of the hardcore continuum via dubby garage, mellow house and electro.

Record opener ‘Jump Blue’ starts with dreamy pads creating blue moods; opening up into choral pads and a bouncy bassline reminiscent of early records on the label by Facta and Shanti Celeste. Next comes ‘All The Things’ which heads straight to the dancefloor with a swinging 2-step beat, chopped vocals and dubby chords.

On the flip ‘Sonntags’ is an electro track based on subtle keys and suspended chords. Perfect for the end of the night for those willing to experience the journey to the very end. Closing the record we have Deep Dream G rolling at a very casual 92bpm; low tempo vibes with style and grace.

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O$VMV$M the Bristol based production duo of Amos Childs (Jabu) and Sam Barrett (Kahn & Neek) have traditionally dealt in hazy, smoked out vignettes - seen across release for Idle Hands, No Corner and most recently providing music for the Manonmars LP.

Where the duos previous work has explored ideas in short bursts which capture you then fades away; IDLE063 takes their sound into unexplored directions and shows an evolution in their output. By extending their ideas into long form tracks within the traditional lineage of bristol soundsystem culture and combining it with their unique ear for sampling Phase 4 / Witch brings O$VMV$M's into a territory which shows how wide their sound can truly reach

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Crump returns to Chris Farrell's label with two deep, dubby and swung minimal house tracks

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Strategy returns to Chris Farrell's Idle Hands label for the first time since his 'Seeds Of Paradise' LP, and his first record of the year following releases for Nite Owl's Diner and Zam Zam's sister label Khaliphonic in 2018.
Here he turns in a bassy house number by the name of 'Tropical Storm', one for those sloppy grins in the summer months. The most requested track ID on Shanti Celeste's Dekmantel mix, here it finally sees the light of day. On the flip is the more paired back 'Evolu

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It has been a good year for Idle Hands. The label reached its 50th release with a release from Livity Sound's Pev and November saw the release of Parris' latest 12' featuring a KMOS remix.
For the labels final vinyl release of 2018 it is the turn of Stockholm's Pistol Pete. Idle Hands boss Chris Farrell has long been a fan of this artists work. He may not have put much out over the years but each release has found a welcome home at the Bristol record shop from which the label operates.
On this release we find three club focused House tracks, each exuding a warmth one would hope for in these cold winter monts. 'Orphan' opens the set with crunchy, swinging drums and the deft use of a sample. 'Lundagatan' continues things apace with some concentrated drum programming and a chopped up soul sample. 'Esqpads' rounds things off with a warm Deep House feel and grooving bassline.

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'Diving Bird' is a series of 12"s on Idle Hands from Cornish artist Andy Mac The third in the series sees Mac draw on Highlife and Dub influences
The A side leads off with 'Sketch 3' a rough hewn House track with live elements. 'Dancehall Style' does what it says on the tin in a concise manner.
On the B side Acido's Dreesen and PST remix 'Longships' from Diving Bird #1 into a hypnotic and subtley subby track with a Dub Techno feel

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Following two previous excursions into degraded tape loops, fuzzed-out ambience and bittersweet moments of tenderness, O$VMV$M return to Idle Hands to complete a trilogy of LPs with 12 vignettes from the underbelly of the Bristol scene.

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Idle Hands continues its quest to support new talent coming out of Bristol with a fresh 12" from local beatsmith Crump. Up to this point, he's been quietly slipping out razor sharp reduced house cuts on various artist releases for Extended Play and Banoffee Pies, but it's high time he had a 12" of his to truly showcase his sound.

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We've been closely watching the rise of A Sagittariun ever since he first popped up with his consistently excellent Elastic Dreams label back in 2011. What started out as an anonymous project has since been revealed as the handiwork of Nick Harris, a long time champion of the Bristol house and techno scene since before most of us were even hitting the dance. His music has been flying out with a no nonsense approach – self-released, minimal promo, just cracking club-ready 12"s that tap into the fierce-but-fun spirit of Detroit techno and albums loaded with smokers delights to appease his West Country roots. "Pseudo Science" wastes no time in imparting a message of bristling kinetic energy for peak time situations. This is maximal techno of the highest order, firing off a body-popping beat, a dazzlingly bright set of chords and a delirious lead that cuts through like the house lights being thrown on in a darkened basement four hours before closing time. There's a confidence that bursts out of this track that could only come from someone who has earned his stripes in the cut and thrust of what can at times be a fickle dance music scene.
"Heavy Manners" plays a foil to this boisterous A-side without dipping the energy levels. Sagi still has his pedal to the metal, but this time he winds through mystical, filter sweeping pads that hark back to synth rich early 90s trance séances of the highest caliber. The bubbling 303 only further fuels this sense of psychoactive flashback, and the hypnotic film sample provides the perfect icing on the cake. Leave your functional subtleties at the door, this is loud and proud body and mind music transmitting from the part of a soul still stomping in a field somewhere near the M25 orbital.

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With releases from Lerosa, Andy Mac and Piezo already under our belts, Idle Hands strides towards the summer with a transmission from a kindred spirit across the pond. Area, sometimes known as m50, has been flying the flag for forward thinking electronic music in Chicago for a long time. His radio shows on WNUR have a distinctive quality one step to the side of the music his hometown is best known for, while his label Kimochi Sound has released incredible music from the likes of Benjamin Brunn, Strategy and many more besides.

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While she may be based in Berlin now, Shanti Celeste has deep roots within Idle Hands. From working behind the counter when the shop first opened to playing the label parties and co-running the neighbouring Brstl label, Shanti's contributions to the Bristol house music scene have been ever-increasing as she has grown as an artist. Having put out our her second ever 12",Days Like This, back in 2014, it gives us great pleasure to welcome her back as an internationally respected producer with a relentless gig schedule and a rich back catalogue of warm, heartfelt dance music that kicks where it counts. Shanti's stylistic palette may have broadened over the past four years, but she's also retained a natural, unpretentious quality in her tracks that can span all manner of grooves and tempos. "Make Time" certainly chimes with her earliest house productions, but it's also offset by a wistful, meditative maturity. Swooping pads, distant vocal threads and delicate fragments of breakbeat flirting in an aqueous soundscape – whatever city she's based in now, this is surely deep house infused with a quintessential Bristol ruffness. "Thoughts" meanwhile speaks more to the artistic development Shanti has undergone over the past few years, bearing the influence of melodic techno, electro and broken beat while striking a unique chord in the process. It's a hypnotic, alluring track that eschews basic dancefloor demands in favour of a more intimate headspace shaped out by snaking, polyrhythmic synth lines. Both "Make Time" and "Thoughts" stretch out over extended running times - all the better for losing yourself in the heady atmosphere Shanti has created on her very welcome return to Idle Hands.





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Second in the Diving Bird series, a dubwise informed trip into the mind of Cornish producer Andy Mac. Picking up where the first well recieved 12" left off.


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Idle Hands is proud to present our first 12" of 2017 from Lerosa, a four-tracker beamed across the Irish Sea to Bristol. The 'Subcouture' EP sees the esteemed producer operating at the intersection of dubby electro and deep house, taking in the sub-heavy frequencies Bristol is known for, whilst retaining an agile and sleek simplicity. 'Maryelen' is a tight, yet pastoral electro track where dreamy pads contrast against tough, cutting drum programming. 'Line Bass' is a tumbling and bouncy number, that doffs its cap to reggae disco and features vibrant synths peppering the mix.
'Scruffy' takes on a slower and more playful mood, featuring light licks of acid and off kilter keys. 'Subcouture' is a subtle dubbed out house cut with a hint of shuffle.


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Bristol is a tight knit place and there has always been a healthy culture of collaboration in the city, LMYE (Lend Me Your Ears) are the latet in that tradition. Two friends who met, and for a period recorded above the Idle Hands shop on Stokes Croft. They made their debut on Funkineven's Apron label earlier in 2016 with the 'Cali 76'. Here they keep things closer to home with a release on Idle Hands.

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It's heartening to see an artist strike upon an idea, an aesthetic, an approach of some kind, and channel that into a cohesive catalogue of work, not least when it's one of your mates. To the outside world Rhythmic Theory appears to operate with a shroud of mystery around him, but to us he's a long-standing patron and parental figure in the development of Idle Hands. From the first strains of murky, UK-rooted techno that emerged from his enviable studio, it was clear that this was an artist who had finally found that elusive creative purpose in which to channel his imagination. Now after bearing down heavy on our own label, his own label, BRSTL, Happy Skull, Ancient Monarchy and A14 over the past four years, it's a true pleasure to be presenting Rhythmic Theory's debut album. You can never be sure quite how an artist will tackle the challenge of the long player, but the Bristol scene stalwart has delivered a concise artistic statement that builds on the themes laid out in his prior singles while capitalising on the wider space in which to express himself. The strings that linger in the upper reaches of the frequency band on "Longevity" call out to the sci-fi yearning of early Detroit techno, but laced with a very British bitterness. The blown out piano chords and sultry sax licks of "Waldrons Lament" evoke seedy late nights and '90s sample culture in an utterly haunting fashion. The gently lilting pads on "Interlude" swoop down in a reverie so blissful it's hard not to reach for the nearest hammock. This is an album of deeply emotional music. It's not all heartfelt niceties and eye-welling moods though. Rhythmic Theory did after all come to light (or should that be dark) in the gloomy alleyways of UK soundsystem music begat from dubstep and all that other stuff. "Creeper" is on hand to affirm that this is a record still steeped in true, stern moodiness, where a stalking sub line, some metallic percussion and an icy drone can still strike fear more than a thousand angry wobble basslines. It's worth noting how much attention has been given to shorter vignettes. As well as the aforementioned, cryptically titled "Interlude", "Work Of Fiction" and "End (of Forever)" both give insights into the places Rhythmic Theory cares to roam beyond the structure of a long form track. These are places where melancholic or downright ambiguous dispositions interplay with each other, from the synthetic to the earthly, the malevolent to the tender. In the end, even at its most monochromatic, nothing is black and white on Rhythmic Theory's debut album, and that's just fine with us.



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