Best Fit Record Shop of the Year 2014: Rise

22 December 2014, 11:00

(Oliver Wilde)

To me, working in a record shop means I can freely express my love for music, explore new sounds and talk to other people about their tastes as a job requirement, further expanding my own personal knowledge and horizons.

Before working in a record shop, I hadn’t had the motivation to delve into essential music like Jazz and Soul of which are now very established areas of my own music collection.

The record shops identity comes from the range of customers we get passing through, from legends like Geoff Barrow & Daddy G, to Bristol artists like George Ezra and the Howling Owl / Reeks Of Effort / Art is Hard / Stolen Body collective of bands and artists. It’s an inspiring atmosphere to be in and around.

To other people, record shops still serve as the interface between them and the seemly untouchable “music industry”, however, regardless of what depressing movements the industry is making, individual music buyers still need their ritual of heading down to their local on a Monday morning and checking out all the new records out, taking them home and listening to them. It’s been enriching to meet people, who out of necessity, are regulars in the shop - who you can tell from talking to them their unconditional loyal commitment and the knowledge that us being here is very important to a lot of people.

Olivers Top 10 Albums Of The Year (In No Particular Order):

The Bug – Devils & Angels (review / buy)

Dorian Concept – Joined Ends (review / buy)

Alex G - DSU (review / buy)

Swans – To Be Kind (review / buy)

Run The Jewels – Run The Jewels 2 (review / buy)

Vessel – Punish, Honey (review / buy)

Alvvays – Alvvays (review / buy)

Ariel Pink – Pom Pom (review / buy)

Conor Oberst – Upside Down Mountain (review / buy)

Sharon Van Etten – Are We There (review / buy)

Rise’s Top 10 Albums Of The Year: