The needle continues to drop in the grooves of vinyl records globally. Sales pick up and so does enthusiasm.
Figures from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) show that 43.2 million vinyl records sold last year in the US alone, up from 40.5 million in 2022.
Calcutta, known for its thriving second-hand LP-EP culture near Wellington Square and on Free School Street, too has a new generation discovering the joys of the turntable.
Varun Desai, who takes care of the vinyl sessions at Zee’s Coffeeshop every Sunday, said: “I see it as an excuse to meet fellow music enthusiasts. I find vinyl listeners are more invested in music history and trivia, so it’s always fun hanging around, playing your music and listening to their music. The connection to the music feels more
tangible and less random.”
The Mayfair Road address will host Record Store Day on April 20 with a listening session for the new Parikrama pressing (Parikrama — Live at Mahindra Independence Rock 2022) from Calcutta-based Free School Street Records, an independent record label formed in 2021.
Also keeping the momentum going is Nishit Arora, co-founder, Skinny Mo’s Jazz Club
(on Manoharpukur Road) and Jamsteady.
“Calcutta already has a strong vinyl record community and it’s growing. We have hosted listening sessions at Skinny Mo’s Jazz Club and got a fabulous response each time. We met so many collectors. Also, it was encouraging to see youngsters show up and enjoy these sessions,” said Arora.
Old record sale at Mirza galib street on Tuesday. Picture by Pradip Sanyal.
Why vinyl records, one may ask. Singer-songwriter Vishal Dadlani’s message is simple: “They sound better. Less ear fatigue, more warmth.”
Calcutta musician Jivraj Singh takes the point further. “It creates a self-contained world for the music appreciation experience, which is not something that I found would happen with streaming because there is always the potential for distraction since it is just ‘one more thing’ on your device, whereas with vinyl, the commitment is great that once you commit and get in, you do feel like you are in another world,” said Singh, who recently ordered All Chemix Radio by Willem de Ridder.
The musician doesn’t have hang-ups about listening to “files” on the computer or CDs. Despite not being a format purist, he agrees that there is something about paying for music and valuing the experience. “We live in a throwaway culture these days on many levels. This is one thing that goes against the grain of that.”
For Tushar Bagla, collecting records frees him from the algorithm of streaming services. The 30-year-old’s alternative existence as a DJ is PhreshPrince.
He said: “It’s a different feeling when you hold a record, the sleeve with the artwork and liner notes. That just hits differently.”
As a DJ who plays on vinyl too, he has experienced crowds reacting to an iconic record cover before the record has even been played.
His collection of 500-700 records exploded when the world was beginning to open up after the lockdown. “There were people who were selling their entire collections online.”
He agrees that the cost of vinyl records can be a barrier in India but it depends on whether you are looking for popular or new titles. “You can get a decent turntable setup for around Rs 25,000. But building a collection can be expensive.”
The independent record label Free School Street Records is growing, partly thanks to the youth warming up to vinyl records.
A spokesperson for the label told this newspaper: “They are exploring the beauty of the analogue sound on vinyl and support their favourite artistes by purchasing their LPs. Typically, they sample a newly released album or an old album recommended by their friends, peers or parents on the streaming media and buy the LPs of the ones which they feel worth listening to or collecting on vinyl.”
The representative added that the market was “flooded” with some “great record players”, starting from entry-level to “serious audiophile level”.
“Gen Z is one of the most important factors in the resurgence of vinyl in India,” the representative said.
Free School Street Records has so far released six albums on vinyl and one album on CD, each of which has been critically acclaimed by record collectors and music fans. Its 2021 debut vinyl release, Train to Calcutta, by urban-folk artiste Susmit Bose, was sold out (200 copies) within a week.