| FEATURE | VIN YL R E

V

I

V

A L FACT According to NME and Record Collector magazine, the UK’s most sought-after vinyl is 1958’s That’ll Be The Day/In Spite Of All The Danger by The Quarrymen (who’s members went on to form The Beatles).

In the first half of 2015, vinyl sales he four building blocks of the and chairman in the UK increased 56 per cent on universe are fire, water, gravel of Absolute and vinyl.” Pulitzer Prize-winning Sounds, the UK’s the same period in 2014. This year, “T author Dave Barry might have been leading importer and distributor of sales are expected to break the exaggerating, but for a rapidly growing high-performance audio equipment. The two million mark – accounting for number of people, his sentiment rings true. “remarkable” upturn in vinyl sales is, he The first quarter of 2015 saw sales rise 69 says, down to the unique lure of its sound: almost ten per cent of music sales. per cent compared to the same period “The sound quality has an enduring magic David Taylor investigates what’s in 2014, which had already seen record- – melodic and enchanting, imperfect behind the titanic resurgence of breaking sales of more than nine million. but just so fluid and dynamic, devoid of The trend looks set to continue in 2016. digital ‘noise’. Vinyl sounds organic; it the humble record Why has there been such resurgence simply engages the listener with the music, in the medium? Tim Bowern, former despite its imperfections.” editor of HiFi Choice magazine, believes For experts like Ricardo, this doesn’t it comes down to vinyl representing an mean that the audio quality isn’t high-end: alternative: “It’s that enduring concept of “It’s all about precision engineering – the underground culture and the ‘cool kids’ mass of the platter, the pressure exerted on backlash. Digital music – streaming and the bearing, the smoothness of the motor, downloads – is now the mainstream, and the stability of the platter’s revolutions, it’s here to stay. isolation from external vibrations and so “Vinyl is seen as authentic and real; it’s on. Manufacturers such as Continuum, all about the grooves on Side A and Side EAT and TechDAS have continually refined B, putting a needle on a record and getting techniques and technologies to ensure lost in the music. Vinyl is now the niche, vinyl sounds better now than at any time not the norm; it’s alternative, part of the in the past.” counter-culture.” Michael Fremer is a globally renowned The musical warmth of vinyl is another music journalist and authority on all things appeal. Ricardo Franassovici is founder vinyl, and has been on a “quixotic crusade”

s LUXURYLONDON.CO.UK s THE CITY MAGAZINE | January 2016 75 | FEATURE |

WHERE TO BUY VINYL

The best spots in London to TURN IT UP “Manufacturers rekindle your romance with To reach audio Nirvana, blow your records. bonus – and then some – on the such as CONTINUUM, best kit around. We’re sure your EAT and TechDAS neighbours will be thrilled. have continually REFINED TECHNIQUES and technologies SISTER RAY RECORDS to ensure VINYL With a huge selection of mainstream and underground choices at both sounds better now its flagship Soho store and newer Shoreditch store, within Ace Hotel, than at any time Sister Ray should probably be the first stop on your journey into vinyl. The IN THE PAST” Soho store is featured on the cover art of Oasis classic (What’s the Story?) Morning Glory, after all. 75 Berwick Street, Soho, W1F

to defend the format throughout its HONEST JON’S wilderness years from his base in New York Established in 1974, Honest Jon’s has City. He agrees wholeheartedly: “When become a must for any record addict in properly manufactured and played back, the capital. Its main focus is on reggae, records produce the most satisfying sound. folk, soul/ funk, jazz and world music, but When you consider that you’re essentially you can get just about anything and the dragging a tiny stone through a vinyl store ships worldwide. No excuse not to canyon, that anything comes through the experience a living legend in London vinyl. speakers is miraculous. 278 Portobello Road, “Yes, there are occasional sonic flaws, Ladbroke Grove, W10 but if that’s what you concentrate on, you’d better not visit the symphony because FLASHBACK RECORDS the audience is usually old and they are A sleek collection of stores with an old- constantly coughing and clearing their school approach, its website has more throats. You listen past all of that because than 12,000 titles, but only covers half of the compelling musical presentation.” of the overall stock. The three London Talk to any vinyl enthusiast and the locations house a wide range of genres same look will cross their eyes, the same on new and second-hand vinyl, CD and feeling of high romance that comes from DVDs. There are regular events, with any deep connection. Ricardo puts this in-store gigs and an artist-in-residence down to the tactile experience with at the Shoreditch branch. each play of a record: “There is a ritual Flagship store: 50 Essex Road, to removing vinyl from its sleeve and Islington, N1 placing it on a turntable, like taking a cigar out of the humidor and lighting ROUGH TRADE EAST it up, or decanting a fine wine before The East End branch of the Rough Trade pouring it into a glass, experiencing the Empire is a brewery conversion that sells bouquet and tasting. as many CDs as Vinyl records, along with “It may lack the convenience of digital, a good selection of books. Every item FROM TOP of course, but vinyl’s physical, authentic has a written description, to encourage EAT C-Sharp, £2,500, appeal gives it a point of difference for a personal discovery of music. There’s a europeanaudioteam.com passionate music fans.” café at the front, and the stage inside has EAT Forte S, from £5,300, Vinyl is here to stay. It has become hosted gigs by bands such as Blur and europeanaudioteam.com the choice of a generation yearning to Queens of the Stone Age. TechDAS Air Force One, £69,980, reconnect with authenticity, after a digital Old Truman Brewery, techdas.jp revolution that has left us all a little cold. 91 Brick Lane, E1 Continuum Caliburn, £180,000, How the tables have turned. continuumaudiolabs.com

76 THE CITY MAGAZINE | January 2016 s LUXURYLONDON.CO.UK s