Record Of The Week: ROLLY BUMP: VOL. 1

We’ve had this one on repeat since first listen — ROLLY BUMP: VOL. 1 is a fully dialled-in statement of intent from Flip The Lid, who launch their new label with a heavyweight V/A that reads like a who’s who of the modern progressive/trance underground.

Long-time Bloop Radio selectors turned label-heads, the Flip The Lid crew bring their finely-tuned ears to a stacked seven-tracker featuring Aiden Francis (Dantz Parteh) — a High Hoops resident and key figure in Manchester’s queer club scene; Bertie (Voice Memory); Body Clinic (Just Can’t Stop) — the alias of Rory Gilmore, a London-based Irish artist known for euphoric dancefloor hybrids; Kyra Khaldi (FuzzyBuzzy) — a rising talent in Amsterdam’s club circuit and student at the Haarlem Conservatory; Match Box (Mind of Matter); Mixolydian (Quantised Communities); and Paperkraft (Parab) — an Osaka-based producer with classical roots and recent releases on labels like Homage and Tombolo.One of those rare V/As where every track earns its place. Big up Flip The Lid, the visuals team, and TRCCTRL for the artwork and layout.

The coolest thing about the project, arguably the promotion video... The video came together through an unexpected connection at a festival, where a chance meeting with producer Joe Coombes led to an introduction to directing duo Cowboys, made up of Thanks I Hate It and I Am New to This Planet. From there, the vision quickly took shape. Over two nights—between 5pm and 1am—a full crew of 15 volunteered their time to bring the concept to life, resulting in a striking, cinematic piece driven by pure collaboration. Key credits include Directors of Photography Elliott Nieves and Thanks I Hate It, 1st AC Phantom Feels, Gaffer Michael Titter, Best Person James Dudfield, and Camera/Lighting Assistants Ben Laiguille and Callum Williams. Production Design was handled by Pogbent, with Sound Design by Aref Rashidan, a bespoke score by Hernie Bowen, and colour grading by Thanks I Hate It. Front and centre is Conor Doyle, delivering a powerful performance as the film’s lead.