Kuta –
Music has become an inseparable part of daily activities. Whether in public spaces with loudspeakers or through personal headphones, almost everyone absorbs the rhythms that accompany their day. Music can even be a reflection of our identity. Some people harmonize it with sipping coffee in between busy schedules, creating perfect harmony between taste and sound.
In the middle of the hustle and bustle of Kuta, precisely on Jalan Sunset Road, a unique place called Analogue Listening Space invites visitors to be immersed in the music of vinyl records while sipping hot coffee. This listening room is a paradise for music lovers who want to experience listening to vinyl, from Indonesian to international songs, with various genres to choose from.
Denny Natanael Tawas, the owner, shared the story of the beginning of this unique cafe. “My hobby of collecting vinyl is the main reason. Instead of keeping this collection at home, I want to share it with friends. The idea for this listening space came about because I wanted to display the albums I collected,” he explained when met by detikBali, Monday (7 /10/2024).
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT
Denny, who just opened his cafe last June, has collected more than 400 pieces of vinyl over the last two years. He targets to increase the collection to 1,000 vinyls next February.
“We get vinyl from various sources, both from local shops in Bali and Jakarta, as well as direct imports from the US, Japan and Europe. We find rare vinyls through international networks,” he explained.
Listening Room Ideas from East Asia
Denny’s inspiration came from a growing trend in South Korea and Japan, two countries known for their cafe culture. In Japan itself, listening rooms are already quite popular, and Denny brought a similar concept to Bali, complete with turntables at every table. Visitors are free to choose and listen to their favorite vinyl.
For only IDR 80 thousand, visitors can enjoy one meal and drink, as well as the experience of listening to vinyl for one hour. However, for those who feel that one hour is not enough to explore the details of each note, additional time can be obtained for only IDR 30 thousand per hour.
 Analogue Listening Space, a coffee shop that presents a collection of vinyl records that coffee lovers can listen to. Photo: Rizki Setyo Samudero/detikBali |
Why Vinyl?
According to Denny, there is a big difference between listening to music via vinyl records and digital streaming platforms. In terms of sound quality, vinyl ranks at the top compared to cassettes or digital formats.
“The sound details feel more realistic. For true audio fans, this difference is very clear, especially when listened to through quality speakers or headphones,” he added.
Vinyl also offers a different experience, where listeners are invited to listen to the entire album without missing a single song.
“There is no skip option. We learn to enjoy music as a whole, diving into every song from a musician’s work,” he said.
“While drinking coffee, we can really connect with music,” he added.
detikBali also had the opportunity to listen to one of the works of Indonesian musicians on vinyl Indies – Dancing In The Shadows. The clear and warm sound quality really presents a different sensation compared to streaming platforms. However, of course the quality of the audio device used also influences the experience.
(dpw/dpw)
