To be fair, there are still some audiophiles around, but they’re almost like members of an exclusive club today, sharing news and secrets about where to find a good collection of LPs, CDs and music cassettes.
One of those so-called secrets is Tandang Records Store, located close to the heart of Kuala Lumpur.
The walls of the narrow staircase leading up to the store are plastered with posters of famous bands and when you push past the heavy door, that’s where the real magic happens – a treasure trove of cassettes, vinyl records and CDs to feed your nostalgia.
This store is co-owned by Wan Hazril Hisham Kadri.
“What I love about my store,” he told FMT Lifestyle, “is that I’m able to share my love for music with my customers. We can connect through our mutual love of music, even if our preferences are different.
“What keeps record stores like us going is these interactions, the sharing and discourse among music enthusiasts.”
If you browse through the shelves, you’ll find that the shop doesn’t discriminate between tastes.
Proudly displayed are works from bands like the Rolling Stones and Radiohead, singers from Janis Joplin to Adele and Indie bands such as Cigarettes After Sex.
There are also many local names like Sudirman, Sharifah Aini, the Garrison and Alena Murang.
“What’s great about cassettes, vinyl records and CDs is that buying them shows support for the artists. Also, they have a character and charm that digitally streamed music just doesn’t have,” Wan Hazril said.
He said the buyers of vinyl records tended to be those who valued recording fidelity to the portable convenience of CDs and cassettes. Many also loved the art and liner notes on record sleeves, he added. Cassette and CD collectors are generally people who love to listen to music while they drive.
Founded in 2012, Tandang was initially a hobby for Wan Hazril, which he developed from an interest in distributing music when he was in college.
What started off as a small shop in Rumah Api, a community space for music lovers that has since moved to Ampang, became a full-fledged record store when it moved to its current location in Zhongshan Building.
“They were aiming to revitalise the building and transform it into a hub of many different stores, and me and my business partner were lucky enough to get this lot in 2017,” Wan Hazril said.
The space has also been used for shows and gigs by local and some foreign bands. Wan Hazril said he hoped to host a show this year and make it an annual event.
He said he was a kid when he fell in love with recorded music. But it was his sister who sparked his interest.
“She had quite an extensive collection of cassette tapes. That inspired me to start my own collection. My first cassette was of the local band the OAG. I still have it to this day.”
When asked about his favourite music genre, he said “hard rock” without missing a beat.
“However, we should all be open to different genres and don’t be prejudiced against any. After all, music is an art form and, at the end of the day, art is subjective.”
Follow Tandang Records Store on Facebook and Instagram or visit its website here.
Tandang Records Store
82B, Zhongshan Building
Jalan Rotan
Kampung Attap
50460 Kuala Lumpur
Business hours: 12pm-7pm daily (Closed on Mondays)
Contact: 014-6323696