Sounds Of The Universe

Wonderful store hours of browsing and lots of good stuff to buy. LOVED IT!

This place should have its own blue plaque or be considered for National Heritage status.
Been coming here every now and then for years, and every time i’m up in London i make sure i pop in for a quick visit. Even if i’m not looking to buy its good to get an idea of what being released and you will always hear something that you’ve never heard before or knew existed, who’d of known i’d be a fan of earlys 70s American gospel, but i was after hearing an album in here. That’s the beauty of this place, it’s full of surprises in it’s wide range of selection.
It’s a shame these kind of places are a dying breed, but this place will be around for as long as those blue plaques have been.

This is probably my favourite record store anywhere. It’s in the middle of Soho, and there’s always something very hip playing on the «stereo.» This is the type of place that is maintaining relevance in a world that is unfortunately moving towards piracy and digital-​only music purchases. I still enjoy walking into a shop like this and losing myself for an hour or two, although you can also spend 15 minutes and find something very cool.
There are some true gems here, and it’s a great place to explore music you may not have been completely exposed to in the past. There are ample opportunities to sample music before you buy, be it on CD or on vinyl. Upstairs they have mainly CDs, while downstairs there’s a larger space with vinyl, books, DVDs, and even some cool t-​shirts.
The staff are very knowledgeable. With the limited space available, they obviously have to pick and choose every single item for sale, so you get the impression the musical selection has been very well «curated.» Given all these advantages, I always seem to walk out having purchased something of lasting value from here.

This is the sort of store that immediately gives you the ‘I am in a true music shop’ feeling as soon as you enter. You can ask the shopkeeper (maybe the owner) behind the counter to recommend music and tell him nothing about your preferences yet know that they he steer you to quality music that will likely become a favorite. No denying that it could have gone either way as so often the ‘vibe’ this story has could reveal a snobbish cool but thankfully this store is the exact opposite.
I discovered this store in the magical sort of way that stores like this are meant to be discovered, asked a random gent on the street if he knew of any good café’s, book or music stores and after a lengthy chat (turns out the gent is a fairly well known local DJ) he says you must visit Sounds of the Universe.
If you visit one music store during your visit to London do not miss this one and as others advised, be sure to visit the basement for incredible finds.

I stopped in to check this shoppe out. Very cool selection of titles, but for what I look for, I didn’t find anything, and what I did find, prices were too high. I’ll visit the next time, hopefully with better luck.

For those of us who are into vinyl and collecting records this is place is a mandatory stop if you are in London. And for those that don’t know please get acquainted, and don’t forget to check out the downstairs. :)

i’m in love.
don’t leave without going downstairs. i found a 5lp box set of ‘afro-​sounds and ghanaian blues’ that i didn’t even know existed. incredible place, plays some great beats too. living in london would wash out my bank account with a shop like this.

There’s a scene in High Fidelity when John Cusak plays a song and the entire store collectively vibes off it. This has happened to me 3 times: Amoeba in Berkeley, Fat Beats in L.A. and London’s Sounds of the Universe.
They respect their music here, and in the store it shows in their displays. Thumbing through the old school hip hop is literally like stepping back into time hearing songs you probably haven’t heard since 1992. Downstairs I found more jazz, latin, and a smidge of rock along with books, Soul Jazz record bags and other essentials perfect for the audiophile.
What I love about Soho’s record stores is that they are staffed with knowledgeable, cool people who have a deep respect for the music in their stores. This is quite possibly the best collection of record stores I’ve ever been to.

This is one of the best record stores in the world.
Aside from having a very deep selection of Reggae, Dub, Disco, Funk and Soul, Brazilian & African musics on vinyl & CD, their association with Soul Jazz Records, and all the great music that label has released puts them in a category all their own. That said, you can also find everything from Black Action Films & Spoken Word recordings to House/​Techno & Dubstep/​Grime/​Dancehall.
Whenever I’m in London, I routinely allocate an afternoon to spend here. I’m especially fond of their short run (hand-​numbered) DJ mixes and compilations! Additionally, don’t miss their groovy 1£ posters (rolled up) in the corner!
5 Stars!

This – without sounding too eager – is my new favourite record store. Neatly tucked away just east of the record store strip in Soho, I first stumbled upon Sounds of the Universe (SOTU) (owned by Soul Jazz Records) about six months ago and – having made it a regular stop off – have made valuable use of my monthly record budget here.
In my opinion, SOTU typifies the great and unsuspecting Soho. Residing with a beautiful «Olde London» shop front, when you take a closer inspection at the eclectic display of records in the window you can begin to understand where Soul Jazz collect all the fodder for their compilations. Although somewhat small and pokey, Sounds of the Universe holds enough to keep you surprised throughout it’s two floors. On the top there is a indiscriminate selection ranging from leftfield hip-​hop, avant /​spiritual jazz reissues, funk, electronica and even a whole section dedicated to the prestigious Stones Throw label, there’s even a few cult music DVD’s scattered around. Downstairs, however, all of a sudden turns to a classic second hand get up. Albeit slightly damp, there’s enough to rummage around in to make good use of those idle thumbs. Other features include frequently updated listening posts, and multiple «try before you buy» decks.
The staff are always helpful and clued up, and the prices at Sounds of the Universe are good too; I’ve managed to pick up a few classic vinyl reissues for under £10 each. It would suffice to say though, that in the foray into the hip, cult, and sometimes pleasantly indigestible world of 20^th century musical movements, they have managed to leave a few things behind. Sounds of the Universe may not be great for things like «rock and pop», but if you’re like me and have grown a little weary of what rock /​related has to offer, then Sounds of the Universe could be the breath of fresh air you need.

Just how bad can this place be?! i mean have you HEARD those Soul Jazz compilations?!? when was the last time you heard a single duff track?!! NEVER, that’s when! and the music they stock in here seems to undergo the same rigourous quality control. brilliant. the staff are always friendly and of course super knowledgable about soul, jazz, disco, reggae, house music, hip hop, ska, blue beatthe list is endless. A greta place to search out originals or re-​issues of all those gems you’ve always wanted a copy of

Since the closure of Disque in Angel, Sounds of the Universe (SOTU) has become my favourite music shop.
Just by the other music shops on Berwick Street, SOTU sells a wide range of music, though there is a slight emphasis on hip-​hop, funk and soul. The shop is quite small, with cds on the ground floor and lps in the basement, but the selection is good nonetheless. The music playing in store is faultless, and there are a some listening posts which are regularly updated that have allowed me to discover some incredible new music. The staff are kind and informed, and whilst a little crampt shopping there is always a great experience.