Atlas Records have long been sourcing the city’s music enthusiasts with a vast and varied collection of LPs through their online presence. That’s until June where, in a rather surprising reversal and contrary to the current climate of businesses repositioning themselves online, the store launched a three-floored brick-and-mortar in Kemang in the feat of the vinyl’s modern rebirth.
Depending on the time of day, lush sounds of funky Japanese pop-rock, ‘60s Indonesian groove, or punk-reggae rhythmically fill up the second floor from the store’s speakers. In Atlas, their collection gravitates towards all kinds of music, sweeping a wide spectrum of rare used vinyls to new popular releases all tidily decked out in boxes and racks—ready for the scouring hands of incoming customers.
Luring in the city’s youth, Atlas welcomes vinyl collectors and newbies all the same. Whether in search of indie-adjacent, heavy punk-rock, classical jazz, to commercial chart-toppers, the set-up is warm and friendly: the staff are knowledgeable and generous with recommendations, and discussions on music and art are welcomed, invited even. Positioned at the edge of the room, a turntable station calls for a true-to-the-art listening session of your vinyl find before the satisfying purchase.
In addition to selling records, the store also features a coffee shop on the first floor, Atlas x Unkl347—the brainchild of Atlas Records and Bandung-based fashion-brand-slash-coffee-house Unkl347. In collaboration with co-founder and multi-disciplinary artist Dendy Darman of Dendy & Darman Studio, the coffee shop depicts a replica of the laidback and community-oriented spirit that the brand associates with, emitting a casual and easygoing feel that complements the record store.
With one of their refreshments in hand, like their speciality and playful variations of Matcha Latte, Spanish Latte, Sea Salt Latte, and Coffee Cream, here, time is best spent unhurried. Grab a cuppa, sift through their regularly updated vinyl collection, and perhaps leave the shop with a wonderful discovery of a new artist or two.