Record Store #20 – Singapore

Roxy Records & Trading

02-15 Excelsior Shopping Centre, 5 Coleman Street, Singapore 179805

Fax: 63345705 Tel: 6377783

Opening Hours: 11.30am – 9.30pm (Closed On Sundays & Public Holidays)

In a city where the musical fads change faster than the traffic signals of the busy streets Roxy Records is something of a haven.  Situated on the second floor of a plush shopping centre, mere metres from the pulsing droves of North Bridge Roads, the store offers a tranquil retreat  from the world of iPhones with a plethora of gently spinning wax.

The glass plate windows of the entrance, underneath The Specials-esque font of the sign,  are the first signs that the store is above your average musical shop fodder. Rare boxsets line the front displays, offering collected Radiohead albums, old recordings of special gigs and sought-after vinyl. Beyond the sheen a labyrinth of boxed vinyl greets musical explorers. The musty-smelling collection dominates tables, racks and floorspace,  forcing one to shuffle rather than walk from one heap to the next.

The friendly owner tells us that the store is celebrating its 48th anniversary, an achievement in itself in the constantly evolving landscape of the city. Bizarrely the store pre-dates the shopping centre it is in. Apparently when their old building was demolished to make room for the mall, they simply moved in.  The owner also tells us that the birthday celebrations mean that they are offering 30% off all purchases on everything, apart from the unbelievable rare stuff, such as The Beatle’s Anthology 1 on vinyl! With no further encouragement needed, we get digging.

Over the next half an hour we find many a gem that almost convince us to part with our cash. From albums my dad would want as much as I would (Bob Dylan – Another Side Of Dylan, Neil Young – Harvest Moon), to dance-floor slammers that I’m still frustrated I don’t own – Slam’s Positive Education [Carl Cox Remix] or  the un-credited Electronic Battle Weapon 7 (produced by The Chems).

As my other half picks up a couple of Placebo remix 7”’s, the owner chats to me about the request service the store offers, telling me that if there is anything I want they can get it or track it down. This kind of old-school service, sticking two-fingers up at Discogs and eBay, is admirable and a rare link to the pre-internet state of affairs, in which if you wanted something imported or out-of-print you went to your local expert, rather than your web browser.

Record stores don’t get much more admirable, or well stocked, than this.

Total Purchases:

A Camp – Colonia – £1.36 [Tracklisting]

Armand Van Helden – Ghetto Blaster – £1 [Tracklisting]

Club Azuli 1 – Mixed By Dave Piccioni – £0.48 [Tracklisting]

Club Azuli Part 2 – Mixed By Dave Piccioni – £0.79 [Tracklisting]

Chemical Brothers, The: Brothers Gonna Work It Out – £2.77 [Tracklisting]

Defected In The House – Mixed By Copyright – £0.79 [Tracklisting]

DJ Hardy Heller – Mix In Motion – £1  [Tracklisting]

DJ Shadow – The New Collection – £2.38

Elektrik 02 – Mixed By King Unique & Nubreed – £0.59 [Tracklisting]

Fabric 25 – Mixed By Carl Craig – £0.59 [Tracklisting]

Fabric 26 – Mixed By Global Communication – £0.59 [Tracklisting]

Le Le – Breakfast 12″ – £8.24 [Tracklisting]

Moby – Last Night – £0.59 [Tracklisting]

Roger Waters – The Wall Live In Berlin – £3.64 [Tracklisting]

Santos – Camels 12″ – £1.18 [Tracklisting]

Samim: Flow – £1.98 [Tracklisting]

Underworld – Back To Mine – £4.05 [Tracklisting]

Underworld – Cowgirl (Remixes) 12″ – £1.18 [Tracklisting]

Underworld – Underneath The Radar 12″ – £8.91 [Tracklisting]

Total Spend: £42.09

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