Recordshop #01 CLIQUE RECORDS

Clique Records – Website – Soundcloud – Facebook

Clique Records, started with their online shop and pop-up store, but they’re gonna open their permanent shop around Eul-ji-ro soon!

온랴인숍과 팝업스토어로 시작해 이제 곧 을지로에 그들만의 오프라인 숍을 열게될 Clique Records를 소개합니다!

What kind of records does your shop normally sell?
Clique Records mainly focuses on underground dance music. We aim to introduce small and independent record labels from around the globe. Our selection varies from House , Techno, Ambient, New Age, Disco to Post-Punk, New Wave, Jazz and Dub, with all the sub-genres that cross in between the main ones. And with the off line store opening this month (Saturday 23rd) we will have a used records section as well that DJ6TS will be taking care of.

Could you tell us the process of importing in the records?
We basically select the records ahead every month before we stock them at the store. We put a lot of effort and time in selecting our records before they appear on the shelf.

Which do you prefer? To sell records or to collect them?
Well, i feel that both complement each other like any other things that people would be collecting, buying, selling or trading. They are a way to introduce music and labels not yet physically available in the country, which is also one of the main reasons why i’m doing this. It’s a recreational hobby that brings a lot of happiness and emotions on both side. Buying records is a personal thing but what i like the most is discovering new music while digging out, i like finding unexpected records in one of those flea markets or old dusty record stores, it’s like going on a treasure hunt, you never know what you will be bringing back home.

Who usually stops by your shop? Do you have any specific reasons for only selling vinyl?
Many of my DJ friends and record enthusiasts come around often. The physical format is about preserving a certain aesthetic of sharing music from the one who produce to the one who plays it, it’s some sort of an underground DJ culture like back in the days when djs would hide the label by covering it to keep the name of the track secret from other DJs. There’s a very good movie I’ve watched recently that explains it quite well called Northern Soul. I still buy mp3s and listen to music everyday on my iPod but owning a digital file is not the same experience than having it on wax.

What is the difference between an online and offline record store?
Well, I started with and still run an online store but Offline has all the advantages, in my opinion that online doesn’t and music is all about sharing and meeting people. A store filters music, you can talk and exchange information on it, get tips on artist recommendations and just other cool things like parties and shows happening in the city, it’s also place where local djs and producers can meet, promote their gigs as well as their music.

A certain article reports that the sales of vinyl have increased recently. However, it is still far below the numbers from the 80’s/90’s. What do you foresee in the vinyl market in Korea for now and the coming years?
I’m not a big expert in market studies, but there is a big rise on reissuing and repressing records with the big majors massively booking the pressing plants around the world, which ultimately affects in the small and independent record labels on their release schedules which is a bit sad. What’s the point of buying a re-issue of a Blondie album at a very expensive price when the original is sold for a dollar bin at the drift store? It’s a big trend everywhere and i feel Korea is going very much towards it, like many other things here. I’m selling mostly 12 inches and dance floor oriented records, and the re-issues we sell are of some hard to find gems that become finally available at an affordable price. The labels we carry are usually the work of dedicated heads that cares about the artists and their music.

<Vinyl sales may be rising, but have you seen who’s buying it?>
– The Guardian

What are the happiest moments of owning a record store? What are the hardest ones?
It’s all about doing something related to my favorite hobbies. Music and djing but i sometimes get nervous when i see how much i’ve spent on those.

What are you used to listen to in your young ages?
I grew up listening quite different style of music and got really into french and 90’s US hip-hop in my teenage time, i also bought my first pair of turntables and i was practicing scratching, i mostly collected breakbeat records and 12” hip-hop but this didn’t last very long. I got into electronic music and my musical taste changed quite a lot through my friends who were deeply involved in the club music scene of the city i grew up in Rennes, France.

Let’s talk about your Golmokgil mixtape. What can we expect from it?
It’s a blend of some of my favorites house records i picked from the shop since i started Clique last summer. I wanted to introduce some of the labels and artists we support such as OD/MB Shplittin The Shtones on Rush Hour’s No Label, The Pilotwings debuts on Macadam Mambo and Dj Sotofett’s TDD-DDRR-IPP MIX on Laton.

Could you recommend some cafes, bars, or lounges to listen to good music in Korea?
I like to spend time with my friends, so whenever they play out i like to go and support them. I know music wise it was great when Baya played at this venue in Itaewon, it was the best spot to hang out and chill if you were concerned about the music surrounding you in a non club environment. Curtis sometimes play at Baraboom in Hannam-Dong and it’s quite a nice dinning/bar to kick in the night. Aaron and I held the TMI parties at Haksalon in Hapjeong which is a great little spot with a wooden floor and a vinyl only music policy (the owner Pak Jong Hak is the man!).
Club wise i like to go party at the Bish Bash Bosh that Eugene holds every month. The playlists is run by Jesse at Pistil in Itaewon. I sometimes play at Venue/ where i’ll be going all night with one of my favorite local DJs, JY CHO(Deep Circuit) on the night of the 23rd of April.

Thanks for your time today and good luck with your new offline shop!