Record Store Day returns on Saturday 18 April, bringing with it the familiar rhythm of limited releases, early queues and renewed attention on physical music formats.
At Inverted Audio Record Store in Peckham, the focus this year shifts away from exclusives and towards something more fundamental — the people who keep record shops alive in the first place.
Record Store Day often centres on scarcity and collectability, but its original intention was simpler: to celebrate the role of independent record shops within their local communities. For a store operating within underground electronic music, that role has less to do with one-off pressings and more to do with continuity – regular visitors, conversations across the counter, records that accumulate meaning over time.
This year, Inverted Audio is marking the occasion by opening the decks. From 14:00 to 21:00 on Saturday 18 April, the shop will host a series of 40-minute vinyl sets played by customers and regulars.
There is no headline act, no fixed direction. The day unfolds through a sequence of selections shaped by those who spend time in and around the shop – spanning house, techno, ambient, experimental and beyond.
All sets will be played on a rotary mixer, encouraging a slower, more attentive approach to mixing with an emphasis on flow over performance.
The format is deliberately open. It lowers the barrier between listener and selector, giving people the chance to play records in a communal setting rather than a private one – and in doing so, reflects something true about what record shops are for. They function not only as points of sale, but as spaces where musical knowledge is exchanged and taste is formed collectively.
Participants will also receive 10% off records in-store on the day, a small gesture that reinforces the connection between selecting and collecting.
If Record Store Day is meant to bring people into record shops, events like this offer a reason to stay – and to take part.