The world’s best record shops #073: Underflow Records, Athens

Vinyl philosophy – the Athenian way.

Every week, we pick out one must-visit spot from a different city around the world with photos and a little bit of history. Think of it as a kind of 1000 places to see before you die for record shops.

The politically-charged, financially-turbulent recent years have resulted to a resurgence of arts in Greece. Athens’ thriving music scene has become an integral part of this resurgence. Record shop/art gallery Underflow Records – that opened its doors right at the height of the crisis in 2015 – is emblematic of the Greek capital’s regained cultural mojo.

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Underflow Records

Location: Kallirrois 39, Athens, 117 43, Greece

Contact: www.underflow.gr

Go for: Avant-garde jazz, experimental, contemporary classical and a delicious espresso

What’s the story?

Part record shop, part art gallery Underflow Records is located in Koukaki, a rapidly up-and-coming neighbourhood to the south of the Acropolis.

With their high ceilings, marble floors and concrete walls, Underflow’s austerely-designed premises are ideal to experience contemporary art exhibitions and to discover avant-garde jazz, experimental, electronic, contemporary classical and indie rock gems.

Underflow is the labour of love of Vassilis Filippakopoulos, a former owner of an apartment-block construction company, who turned his dream of building “the ideal record shop” into reality. “It just hit me. I had to do it,” he tells us.

Underflow regularly organises gigs in its acoustically-treated basement. In the two years of its existence, many artists have played on its stage. Filippakopoulos especially remembers a show by local experimental quintet Vault of Blossomed Ropes, earlier this year. “They were mystagogic. Brian Eno would have loved to produce their albums,” smiles Filippakopoulos.

According to the mood and time of day, Underflow’s bar serves a tasty blend of espresso or a gently smoky single malt. The venue has become a meeting point for Athens’ eclectic music enthusiasts. “We’re a small community and everybody knows everyone,” says Filippakopoulos.

What are the rarest crates on Underflow’s shelves? An ultra-rare mono pressing – the first one in Greece – of Rolling Stones’ Beggars Banquet (Decca) and a 1953 release of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 Eroica (Urania Records), performed by The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.

Which albums have been on Mr Filippakopoulos turntable recently? Root Hog Or Die: 100 Songs, 100 Years (Mississippi Records), a tribute box set to American ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax and Orchestraomminggg And Schlomminggg (Important Records), a collaboration between eccentric minimalism pioneer Charlemagne Palestine and experimental London duo Grumbling Fur.

Underflow’s plans don’t stop there. In November, the venue will be hosting a gig by the Norwegian/Swedish jazz greats The Thing (Mats Gustafsson/Ingebrigt Håker Flaten/Paal Nilssen-Love). This will coincide with the launch of Underflow’s own imprint – sometime in late 2017. Its first release will be an album by Greek post punk-new wave outfit Lost Bodies. “It will be darker, more cinematic and experimental that their usual stuff,” says Filippakopoulos.

Images: Art & Grace