For The Record: White Label Records

I need to start this feature with a meek confession: I neither own a record player nor records. But this heckle-worthy declaration isn’t tantamount to an utter lack of interest. It’s just a path I’ve yet to embark on; a path that, as far as I know from my fellow vinyl-hunting collectors, is more like an endless rabbit hole through a wonderland of rarities and gems.

Yet, I’ve always found a certain comfort when holed up in a record store, wherever I am in the world. Stocked with stacks of crates and visitors digging in happy solitude, record stores are like libraries for musos. And like libraries, each record store has its own charm and quirks, luring like-minded folks who crave the culture of explorative, obscure, and quality music. Sitting on the edge of Ann Siang Street, White Label Records is that home.

Don’t play what’s there. Play what’s not there. These words glow teasingly in neon pink above a corner-tucked DJ booth, and they are the first things to catch one’s eye upon entering. Speaking with Kurt Loy, co-founder of White Label Records, I discover that these reflected the wise words of jazz legend, Miles Davis, a figure whose work ethic influences the multi-concept store.

“We are very inspired by Miles Davis’ philosophy,” says Kurt. “He’s trying to tell us to not follow what people out there are playing. Don’t care about being commercial. Just be true to yourself.”

Kurt Loy, co-founder of White Label Records

For Kurt, that’s a statement that’s rung true in his #vinyloftheday venture, which has been running for the last five years or so as a digital marketplace for vinyl junkies. Together with co-founder, Darren Tan, also known in the DJ circuit as Darren Dubwise, they’ve developed #vinyloftheday into a store, platform and community. Five years later, White Label Records is now the first brick-and-mortar manifestation of this dream.

“Ultimately, we really wanted to build a community; that’s the main core of #vinyloftheday,” Kurt explains. “From the beginning, we were never a hardcore kind of thing for vinyl-loving audiophiles. We’re more like a music and lifestyle company. That’s why we came up with this record store concept.” So together with third co-founder, Sharon Seet, who’s also behind The Analog Vault at The Esplanade, they came up with this spot that’s a store, performance space, bar, and essentially, a vibey night-time hangout through and through.

Like any Ann Siang establishment worth its salt, White Label Records boasts a decent cocktail and beer menu, concocted by Jerrica Lee who used to helm the bar at Craft in Shanghai. “Our prices are reasonable, and our drinks are much stronger than most,” quips Kurt. For the peckish, there are even small nibbles available. “Our food menu currently consists of bar bites, but we do serve one main dish which is the Hayashi Beef Rice, simply because we like to eat that [laughs].”

Along with this modest yet heartfelt F&B element, the décor and general ambience of the space truly doesn’t make the store seem like a stuffy hangout exclusively for vinyl geeks. High tables and coffee benches invite guests to wind down for casual chats, a marble floor adds an elegant touch, and there’s even a miniature arcade machine filled with games like Puzzle Fighter and Marvel vs. Capcom (brownie points in my books).

Amongst a pool of 38 record stores in Singapore – a number that Kurt estimates – White Label Records undoubtedly stands out with its multifaceted appeal. As it turns out, this approach was inspired by the equally-diverse Jazzy Sport brand in Japan, which was hosted by White Label Records in a pop-up featuring the former’s very own Grooveman Spot.

These international guests, as well as local selectors, get to flex their mixing muscles at the store’s very own DJ booth, transforming the space from a store into a cosy mini-club. In fact, White Label Records is also home to a local dance music phenomenon that’s taken the scene by storm in the past year – Singapore Community Radio, otherwise known as SGCR.

“As you can see, we’ve also built a radio station,” Kurt fills me in. “This is where we do our SGCR shows. Previously, we were doing it in our office studio. But now, everyone can just come here and watch the showcases.” For the uninitiated, SGCR is a regular broadcast that hosts all sorts of selectors and broadcasts their mixes online. With no boundaries on genre, SGCR exhibits live mixes from both veteran and burgeoning DJs in a new light – out of the clubs and into your screens, backed by trippy visuals courtesy of the booth’s custom-made green screen.

Timing-wise, SGCR was birthed just as the scene saw the demise of yet another institution, Lush 99.5. The latter was a radio station – run by Singaporean media powerhouse, Mediacorp – that was not only home to alternative local music in Singapore, but also frequently aired mixes by DJs. As such, SGCR unofficially filled the lacuna left behind by Lush’s departure, gaining traction and validation from the scene.

“I did actually speak to Vanessa (Fernandez), who was previously head of programming at Lush, a long time ago before the closure,” Kurt reveals, “and I told her about this idea of starting our own online radio show. For me, I’m a geek who’s into tech gear and programming software, so I knew how to do these things.” He also shares that SGCR was modelled after the format of Seoul Community Radio. “Actually, they are our friends. I spoke to their founder, Richard Price, if we could do SGCR with the same formula. And he gave me the green light.”

With more than a hundred episodes under its belt, SGCR has gained a positive and loyal fanbase with its quest to shed light on selectors in the scene and beyond. Now that it has a physical home within White Label Records, people can now watch this movement in the flesh. “Ideally, we’d want to market this record store as a music institution or destination, similar to Red Light Radio and Rush Hour Records in Amsterdam,” Kurt states with optimism.

At the end of the day, White Label Records, in spite of its efforts to be a lifestyle space for all, is a paradise for music-lovers. In fact, throughout my chat with Kurt, I couldn’t help but notice the enticing unpredictability of our soundtrack chugging in the background – acid house, lounge, Afrobeat, Latin. Similar to the sentiments of its owners, the store is packed with esoteric treasures you won’t find in most record stores.

“For the music curation, we try to bring in more Asian music. There’s actually a demand for it; you have people looking for all these rare and interesting groove records, be it Malay funk or Thai music. Everything is handpicked and curated by Darren and I, and sometimes Sharon when she has the time,” Kurt clarifies.

“We’re definitely all music people, and music is always our first thing. That’s why this is the perfect team.”

As for its visitors, whether you’re a diehard record collector or a spontaneous passer-by in need of a new music-centric hangout, White Label Records could very well be your perfect new home.

For all I know, this spot may even be the impetus for my long-overdue vinyl journey.