With the unprecedented global disruption of 2020, it’s important to support the music community however we can. With our series Record Store Recs, the Recording Academy checks in with vinyl-loving artists to learn more about their favorite record stores and the gems they’ve found there.
Born and raised in Queens, New York, DJ/producer Jean Pierre cut his teeth DJing parties and making a name for himself from a young age in the city that never sleeps. Over the past decade and a half, he’s gained a global following for his countless thumping tech house and minimal tracks released on esteemed labels like Cuttin’ Headz, Hot Creations, Defected and more.
Just last month, he made his debut on Italian dance label Moan Recordings with the Daily Alarm EP, a collab with Miguelle. This week, on May 12, he’s dropping another new EP entitled 001, consisting of six buoyant tech house tracks he created while touring around the world. You can learn more and pre-order it here on his Bandcamp.
Spending several years as a record buyer at the beloved Halcyon record store in Brooklyn and many more years crate-digging around the world in between shows in Germany, England, Colombia, Ibiza and more, Jean-Pierre is a great resource for where to find great dance records. Read on to learn about his top five shops around the world and gems he’s found at each one, for the latest edition of our Record Store Recs series.
Please pick three to five record stores you love. (The links below have online shopping options.)
Halcyon in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Gosu in Frankfurt, Germany
Rush Hour in Amsterdam
Phonica in London
Gramophone Records in Chicago
What do you love about these shops? What kind of goodies have you’ve found there?
Halcyon is a very special shop for me. I worked there from 2017 until my move to Miami in 2019. It was inside one of my favorite New York nightclubs, Output (R.I.P.) Even after I left the shop, I continued to do record buying for them, specifically in the minimal and tech house genres. Working in the store really taught me how to broaden my palate and enjoy all sorts of records. It taught me so much about the record business and all that comes with it.
One of the many records I purchased at Halcyon was Chez Damier‘s Edits, Reworks & Sounds, also known as BOOT 001. It’s a special collection of unreleased Chez Damier cuts.
Related: John Digweed Played The Club’s Final Party; Now The ‘Last Night At Output’ Lives On
Gosu is a shop that holds a special place in my heart. I spend a decent amount of time in Frankfurt each year while working in Ibiza and around other parts of Europe. It’s a small shop with a large collection of records both old and new. The last time I was there, I picked up a test press of Ricardo Villalobos‘ remixes of Feater, on Running Back. Ricardo is a huge inspiration for me as an artist and I really enjoy finding his records in shops across Europe. There is always a sick record I am able to find of his while digging.
Feater, “Time Million” (Pépé Bradock & Ricardo Villalobos Remixes) | Photo: Jean Pierre
And No. 2: Record Store Recs: Eelke Kleijn Takes Us Crate Digging Around The Globe
Rush Hour is one of my favorite shops in the world. Each year duringADE [Amsterdam Dance Event], I spent quite a bit of time here, whether it is to find new tunes or enjoy the number of in-store streams that take place during this busy week. I happen to enjoy their mix of both rare dance records and various genre selections that offer unique samples for me to play with.
One record I recently purchased there was a [1995] Gemini record out on Another Day Records called Le Fusion. It’s one of my favorites.
London is a scene jam packed with countless venues enriched with dance music history. Phonica Records is one of the more esteemed record shops in the U.K. I was recently there when I played with the Cuttin’ Headz crew at Tobacco Docks in 2019. I picked up a copy of Paranoid London‘s new album PL on Paranoid London Records.
Paranoid London’s PL | Photo: Jean Pierre
I’ve been lucky enough to play at Spybar which is one of Chicago’s great night clubs. Gramaphone is an essential stop for music lovers everywhere. Last time I was able to visit the shop, I picked up a copy of Fantasy Light by an artist called Power Dance on a [U.K.] label of the same name.