Monthly newspaper and online publication targeting 18 to 35 year olds. The ultimate guide to the hottest parties, going out and having fun. Music, fashion, film, travel, festivals, technology, comedy, and parties! London, Barcelona, Miami and Ibiza.
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/407398
7 7 Issue 68 / 2014 GUESTLIST guestlist.net Benji Long scratches the surface of the big vinyl question and uncovers the reasons behind the recent resurgence. VINYL GETS ITS GROOVE BACK In recent years the vinyl in- dustry has experienced a somewhat surprising return to fashion. In an increasingly globalised and stimulus-de- manding world that is domi- nated by virtual data, clouds and downloads, the revived hunger for the physical qualities of a record coun- ters expectations. As Paul Nickerson from BBC news described: "People have re- alized that something tan- gible with pops and crackles feels a lot better than a com- pressed disposable file." But why is this? There is no single answer to this phe- nomenon, however, a de- sire for individuality and a resistance to the reduction of cultural diversity, coupled with the general vogue for all things 'retro', appears to be at the root of it. Cultural homogenization has meant that people are constantly struggling to establish and differentiate themselves from others. For DJ's - who are battling to make their mark and standout - this is a major problem. One way to add some style and a sense of superior connoisseur- status is having a library of 'classic' vinyl, re-inventing and interpreting established songs through their own mixes. So instead of host- ing friends with a faceless and quite literally intangible collection of digital music, people are digging out their old Ikea Expedits and filling them with 12-inch. Through websites such as Discogs and online groups such as 4TheWax, people mercilessly parade their 'deep-seeded' love for vinyl and abhor the world of free downloading and 'torrent- ing'. A warm community seemingly exists that sepa- rates members from the rest of those thieving, mp3 cheating DJ's who simply don't understand the true value of music, as expressed through owning a large and expensive collection of vi- nyl. Like an underground rave hosted in a secret lo- cation in East London, you either know where it's at or you don't. More than this, though, it seems that collecting vinyl is a genuinely satisfying en- deavour with many perks; the feeling of cultured-ness amongst non-vinyl-heads; the delight in beautiful art- work; the pride in watch- ing your collection grow through continued nurtur- ing; and the experience of discovering a dusty treasure in the corner of a tiny record store. Got a record player sitting in your parents attic? Get down, mosey down to one of our top record store picks and experience vinyl for yourself. We asked around the Guestlist office to find out everybody's favourite vinyl haunts, and these are some of their top picks: • Rough Trade, Brick Lane • Rat Records, Camberwell • Sister Ray Records, Soho • Supertone Records, Brix- ton • Banquet Records - Kings- ton upon Thames • BM Soho, Soho.