In the last few years, vinyl listening rooms, record bars, cafes and other music-led spaces have begun cropping up across Mumbai. It’s a phenomenon modelled on Japan’s kissa culture, no doubt – a trend that’s found its way to London and New York, and Delhi, among other places – but the urge to go analogue isn’t always just about switching off from your devices or carving out a few hours of me-time.
Sure, ditch the phone, but what about the joy of listening? The ritual of choosing a record, watching the needle drop, sitting through an entire album and, if you’re sufficiently committed, making a passionate case for why vinyl sounds better. Audiophiles, after all, will die on this hill. Technically, they’re not entirely wrong.
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Back to Mumbai – and the vinyl bars here have got game. Some are serious listening rooms built around high-end sound systems; others are bars and cafes where vinyl is part of the experience. Either way, they offer an alternative to the usual loud night out, where you spend half the evening shouting at your friends and the other half pretending you can hear the DJ.
Mumbai’s vinyl scene is still young and finding its feet, which is precisely what makes it interesting. If you’re curious about vinyl, looking for a good listening room in Mumbai, or simply want a bar where the music doesn’t have to compete with the crowd, start here. These are the vinyl bars, listening rooms and record-led spaces worth knowing around the city. Let that needle drop.
Editor’s note
Mumbai’s also got a number of other spaces that don’t strictly classify themselves as vinyl bars or listening rooms, but still make music a priority. Idoru in Bandra boasts some of the best Japanese liquor and sound quality in the city, for instance. And The Revolver Club does listening sessions and pop-ups at various restaurants across Mumbai and even the rest of India. It even helps set up systems in spaces, and of course, it is on every analogue music lover’s speed dial for records, turntables, and more.
