According to the Vinyl Alliance, a quick survey amongst their members shows the commitment and resilience of the industry. As if the vinyl record industry hadn’t suffered enough in the wake of February’s disastrous Apollo Masters fire, along comes a global pandemic. The fallout of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) is hitting the entire economy hard, and the vinyl record industry is certainly … Read More
Lockdown Giveaway: Win an AudioQuest Record Brush + Booze & Vinyl Book
Competition Closed: Winner Announced! A huge congratulations to Simon who we’ve contacted by email as the winner of our recent “Lockdown Giveaway”. Don’t worry if you’ve not been lucky this time around, we’ll be running similar initiatives in the future. Thank you to all who took part and continue to support the website – it means a whole lot! It’s … Read More
Music For Isolation
So here we are. Has it really come to this!? At the time of writing, Europe is currently the epicenter of a worldwide pandemic, with the US not far behind if the situation surrounding COVID-19 continues to advance. I’m writing this piece from my UK home, where we are currently experiencing a nationwide lockdown in an attempt to nip this … Read More
Top Rules for Record Collecting
When it comes to buying records, I’m sure we can all agree, it’s not always a walk in the park. The continuous hunt for vinyl-nirvana is a never-ending pilgrimage that lasts a lifetime. When I first started, buying records was somewhat of a minefield, and a learning curve, but over the years, I’ve developed several red-lines that a) help keep … Read More
Vinyl Wings: Record Subscription Review
Every record tells a story. It could be the personal experience of each musician, a hidden message behind the cover art, or the unique production and build-up that leads to a piece of music on wax. In any case, like a snapshot in time, every record ever made is a moment captured for all future generations to enjoy. Record subscription … Read More
Hazel & Alice – Won’t You Come & Sing For Me: Liner Notes According to BCR, Vol 4
The original liner notes from this record are rather special, so special, in fact, that I just had to scan them digitally. They were written by Neil V. Rosenberg from the Memorial University of Newfoundland (Canada) on April 15th, 1973. I did this because they provide such incredible insight, not only into the songs, but also a brief and ugly … Read More
Wax Wash Vinyl Record Cleaner Review
As we like to say at Sound Matters, great vinyl records are clean vinyl records. I’m slightly obsessed with cleaning vinyl, and in many ways, I find the whole process strangely therapeutic. (What can I say, record collectors are strange folk). With the aforementioned in mind, I will always welcome the opportunity to review a new method or cleaning product. … Read More
Apollo Masters Fire: Where Now for the Record Industry?
Earlier this month, a fire ripped through the Apollo/Transco vinyl production facility leaving only one remaining lacquer production factory in the entire world. The loss of such an integral facility is a massive blow to the vinyl record industry, with the aftermath undoubtedly affecting many businesses across the entire supply chain. Initially, the outlook was pretty bleak; vinyl lacquers are … Read More
Getting Your Music on Vinyl: A Guide for New Artists
This article was produced in conjunction with the team at London’s Kore Studios. Their client roster includes the likes of Amy Winehouse, Kasabian, White Lies and more. Why Vinyl? More and more up and coming musicians want to ensure that their music is ready to be mastered for vinyl, and for good reason. The popularity of vinyl records has exploded in … Read More
How Do Different Turntable Mats Affect Sound Quality and Performance?
Changing your turntable mat or platter material is one of the easiest and most affordable upgrades you can make. But not all turntable mats are created equal; some mats offer a quick and appealing aesthetic upgrade to your setup, while other designs can significantly affect the sound quality. There are many turntable platter mats available on the market, each with … Read More
