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Even in the digital age there's plenty of life in London's indie stores for anyone hungry for thrill of real of real vinyl and CDs. Andrew Bowman takes us shopping...

Since the advent of (legal and illegal) downloads and eBay, the lifeblood of the independent record shop seems to have been fading fast in recent years. Like anywhere, London has suffered some blows and many of music's most hallowed havens have sadly disappeared. But of course, London, with its ever-expanding population and still vibrant club scene, will always have space for stacks and racks. Indeed, the ability to easily pick up the latest tunes or spend an afternoon flicking through the stands for surprises is a reason in itself for some to visit or live in the capital.

The current unlikely rise in vinyl sales is clearly keeping the culture going. Whether this is due to the personal preference of audiophiles, a love of the physical or simple fetishization of apparently outmoded media, who knows? Who cares? The continued resilience of the real record shop is something to celebrate, so here we present a guide to a few of the best:

Rough Trade East  'Dray Walk' Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane London E1 6QL 
Rough Trade West  - 130 Talbot Road London W11 1JA

The number one destination of the independent-minded music fan since the heyday of punk, Rough Trade (which spawned the Smiths-signing label of the same name) has always managed to please while moving with the times. Their new store, just off the East End’s legendary Brick Lane, is Wi-Fi-friendly, with a café and performance and exhibition space. The 5,000sq ft is also home of course to a vast array of records and CDs, spanning the entire independent and underground continuum – indie pop to hip-hop, punk to post-rock, folk to funk, retro to right now. RT also sells music-related books, DVDs, magazines and merchandise. The older, much smaller West London site is also well-stocked and retains more of a traditional indie store feel.  

Sounds of the Universe 7 Broadwick St, W1

Part of an independent mini empire that takes in the Soul Jazz Records label and clubnights, Soho’s SotU goes from strength to strength. The shop’s massive range of reggae, jazz, hip-hop, soul, latin, electro, disco, dubstep (and more) is now complimented by the appropriately stark and dark secondhand basement. The same enthusiasm and expertise that informs Soul Jazz’s peerless compilation output comes through in the shop, where recommended titles are clearly highlighted with superlatives. A nifty selection of merchandise is also stocked and the staff, when they’re not manically busy serving the hordes of regulars, are helpful and friendly too.  

Intoxica! 231 Portobello Road, London, W11 1LT

A truly special store, a couple of minutes stroll from Portobello Road Market, Intoxica! would almost be worth visiting for its Hawaiian beach shack décor alone. The real treat though is the treasure trove of vintage vinyl (no CDs), that nestles in amongst the fancy fixtures and fittings. Their expertly handled catalogue of rare, collectable second hand and quality reissue platters covers 60s beat, psychedelia, soundtracks, surf, ska, soul, blues/rnb, punk and exotica.

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