genre guide

The 1990s produced hip-hop's deepest album shelf, and this is where we tell people to start. Ten essential records, from Return of the Boom Bap and Ready to Die to The Diary and Future Development, covering New York boom bap, Houston storytelling, and Oakland independence. Every pick is a modern pressing we carry, with a word from behind the counter on why each one earns its slot.

From Masayoshi Takanaka to Tatsuro Yamashita: eleven essential city pop and Japanese fusion records on vinyl, and how to start a Japan-import shelf.

The Bristol sound on wax: ten essential trip-hop records from Massive Attack, Portishead, and Tricky, and where to start with each.