Top image: Still, Pujol Circles, 2014

Welcome to Record Riot, our shiny new playlist series in which our pick of the world’s greatest vinyl shops make us a very special mix. We’ve butted heads with some of the maddest music obsessives out there to bring you the tunes that are rattling their speakers on high rotation – right now.

This is our ode to the record store, those sacred spaces where stale beer from the previous night’s gig substitutes holy water, stained glass windows are replaced by vintage gig posters and the altar is your discount vinyl heap. The rooms where crate digging will rob you of many hours in the sun, and boy is it worth it when you find that mega rare banned copy of God Save the Queen.

In an evolving musical landscape shifting towards intangible downloads, record stores hold an intrinsic position, in championing physical musical output they are both preservers and purveyors, functioning on a variety of different levels; so called ‘third places’ where musos can squabble, bands form and where the culture of music can be seen, heard and held in your hands. Whether it’s where you bought your first record or simply a private haven amongst the chaos of life, these places are kindred – and that’s worth celebrating.

Third Man Records

Third Man Records is the brainchild of axe-wielding blues god Jack White, originally founded as a record label in Detroit (White’s hometown) in 2001 before materialising as a physical location in Nashville in 2009.

More a music empire than a store, Third Man Records in its current state contains a record store, record label offices, photo studio, dark room and live venue with analog recording booth. Championing vinyl – White was named official ambassador for Record Store Day in 2013 – Third Man Record not only boasts a wealth of rare and illusive vinyl but also holds the record for the world’s fastest released record when White recorded and pressed a live rendition of his track Lazaretto in a speedy 3 hours, 55 minutes and 21 seconds.

The Nashville store itself is an abstraction of White’s DNA, aesthetically it’s a forgotten gem from the 50’s – after all, it’s only a short drive from Elvis’ iconic Sun Studio – his Mondrian-esque primary colour theme is instilled throughout the interior with tons of memorabilia and merch dotted around.

This is record store interior at the max, and with the planned opening of a new Third Man store in Detroit later this year in partnership with local leathergoods maker Shinola, it’s only getting better. We thought we’d celebrate a bit early by asking these guys to whip us up a hot list of the tunes currently firing up their 9-6 all day er’yday. Yeah, they delivered alright.

Third Man Records,623 7th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203. For updates on the soon to be opened Detroit location stay tuned to the website.