A look at the growing vinyl record scene in the UAE

For music lovers, the charms of the vinyl record are clear and undeniable – the records look cooler and sound better.

Slowly, the format has been making a comeback, as serious collectors increasingly opt for the joy of having row after row of LPs on a shelf over the intangible ownership of a download or the minimalist stylings of a CD.

The UAE hasn’t been far behind the curve, with speciality stores starting to pop up to nurture and serve the growing demand.

Shadi Megallaa made waves last year when he announced plans to open his own record shop, Flipside.

An underground DJ with a private collection of more than 6,000 records – and the man behind the UAE-based vinyl-only record label Ark to Ashes – there are few people better placed to speak about the format’s timeless appeal.

“Records have outlasted every medium that’s come along – and they are not going away any time soon,” says the 36-year-old Egyptian, who grew up in Abu Dhabi and returned to the UAE recently after living in New York.

“It’s the physical aspect, the artwork – it’s a whole experience. When you look at a record, you remember what shop you bought it [in], what was going on in your life – it’s a piece of history.”

Original article by Rob Garratt

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A look at the growing vinyl record scene in the UAE