Talking Things x Dreamhouse Records
Is any home complete without music?
We are fascinated by the transformational qualities of music; Whether it be its awe-inspiring ability to carve out cultural movements and unite communities, or its powerful presence in our everyday life to lift our moods and define our spaces. Vinyl is something we have a huge appreciation of, for so many reasons from the richness of sound, the ritual of playing, down to the artwork on the covers.
This passion brought us to the doors of Dreamhouse Records, who we have partnered with to bring you a capsule collection of artists that we find inspiring and hope you will too. When making our selection it was important to us to include a variety of sounds to suit different occasions and moods within the home, whether it be the dinner party guest that never lets you down, a sundowner to enjoy with a cocktail in hand or a classic that no collection is complete without.
Founded by Jon Clifford, Dreamhouse Records is a beautiful store in Leyton. As we set about taking a few photos, Jon is at ease with members of the local community who have popped into chat music and unearth new sounds. This sense of community is striking from the onset, and we hope that carries through to our pages as two independents collaborate.
We have captured our curiosity in ten questions for Jon, to learn a bit more about his journey to building Dreamhouse and to get his expert opinion on what makes music so special. It's a fascinating read, check it out...
-
Can you introduce yourself? I’m Jon, based in Leyton, East London. I’ve run Dreamhouse Records for just over a year now and hopefully for a lot longer to come…
-
Tell us a bit more about your journey with music and what inspired you to start your own record store? I’ve always been into music since I was very young and have played and consumed music for as long as I can remember. Before opening the shop I worked as a live promoter but that came to an end with the pandemic, so it seemed like the (almost) perfect time to do what I then realised I’d always wanted to do and open my own shop.
-
We love vinyl. What makes it special for you? Nowadays it’s the attention it demands. Most music isn’t made to be throwaway, but in the age of streaming it has become more disposable and easy to dismiss. With vinyl you need to pay attention and make time for it, and that can only be good for the listening experience.
-
What was the first record you ever bought? And has your taste in music changed over the years? I didn’t start buying vinyl until around 1999/2000 and was heavily into the breakbeat sound coming out of Brighton at the time. I can’t actually remember the first record I bought, but it was probably something from that scene. If you’d told me 5 years earlier that I’d be buying electronic music, I wouldn’t have believed you so yes, my musical taste has changed massively over time and it’s still changing.
-
Tell us a memorable music moment? It could be a gig, meeting an idol or listening to something for the first time? Bit of a cliché but hearing Nevermind for the first time was pretty memorable. I’d just started learning to play bass and was trying to play along to some metal records that I couldn’t keep up with, so when my mate’s older brother gave me a tape with Nevermind on it, it changed how I looked at music. It was heavy(ish) and I could play along to it too. Perfect.
-
We love visiting your store, in the heart of Leyton, it has a real community feel. We noticed you support local businesses, such as stocking local ice cream etc - did you always set out to achieve this sense of community or did it happen organically? There was already a great feeling of community on Francis Road where the shop is anyway, and having spent so much time there during the pandemic when we were coming out of lockdown, I really felt there was something special and almost un-London like about the area. It would have been a mistake to not engage with the local community, and luckily there’s loads going on and so many people to work with that it has been very easy to make that happen. The coffee we sell is from a local distributor, as is the food and some of the drinks we sell too. We’ve got a local section on the record shelves as well which does really well. There are loads of artists, labels, music industry folks and creatives living in the area so I’m in good company.
-
Which artists are doing great things & who excites you at the moment? There are a lot of great artists around at the moment putting out great records, recent favourites include Danger Mouse and Black Thought’s Cheat Codes, OSees’ A Foul Form, Hinako Omori’s A Journey… There are lots of great labels doing brilliant things at the moment too. Local label Mais Um are putting out some amazing stuff, Mississippi Records, Forager Records, Hand In Hive and International Anthem, to name a few.
-
Does buying vinyl support the artist more so than digital? I REALLY hope so.
-
You have live sessions at your store which is super cool, what do you think it is about live music that is so captivating? I think it’s just the opportunity to really connect with the artist who’s playing, especially in such a small setting like the shop. To give your full focus to just the music and performers without any other distractions has always been special and will continue to be so.
- You recommended Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders and The London Symphony Orchestra as the ultimate ‘coffee table record’ can you describe it and what makes it a must have? Labelling it a coffee table record is a compliment, promise! It might sound a bit crass and throwaway, but the fact that such a stripped back, spacious and sometimes challenging album has received such wide acclaim and has been bought by so many is a testament to how great it is. Each of the artists are regarded as being at the top of the pile but in very different fields, so to bring all three together in such a coherent way and for the result to reach such a big audience speaks volumes.
We are so excited to partner with Dreamhouse Records – Head over to our product pages and discover our debut collection. Whether you are a seasoned vinyl collector or looking to purchase your very first record, we invite you to discover the transformational qualities of music in your home. Create a mood or define the DNA of a room as you embrace the ritual of vinyl and level up your space with these extraordinary sounds.
