Mount Analog

When I die, I want to be buried in Mount Analog. This is not a helpful review for Unilocal readers. Just go there and be humbled.

Rad record store with a great selection of records art some books and art. Decent prices for the finds as well.

I’ve always had great experiences here, and have found the staff to be friendly and helpful. While this is a specialty shop, there is really something for everyone if you look hard enough, and the owners have impeccable taste, across all genres of music. Check out their radio show on dublab for evidence! In addition to the dark and electronic music mentioned in other reviews, there is a great selection of film soundtracks, ambient and drone electronic music, as well as rare folk and world records.

If you’re looking for the latest dark wave acid split that has most recently come out of a hot underground label in a new neighborhood in a part of Los Angeles close to that part that will be cool in two years, you’ve come to the perfect place.
If you’re looking for anything else, you might want to go somewhere else.
Mount Analog is small record store that seems to caters to a very niche population. Previous reviewers seem to really like the place so either I’m crazy, they’re crazy or we just like different stuff. Me thinks the third.
But seriously, if you’re really into dark, techno, house, acid or generally freaky music… This is the place for you.
If Animal Collective is the freakiest you’ll get, you might have a chance. I saw one album floating around here on my most recent visit.
If you have no idea who Animal Collective is, just don’t. It’s highly unlikely you’ll find what you’re looking for.
There is some older stuff, but much like everything else in the store… It’s pretty niche.
Every time I have been in, I’ve been ignored by staff. I can’t say that equates with bad service in a record store but it doesn’t equate with good service either.
I can’t comment on the prices as I don’t know what kind of prices the kind of albums Mount Analog carries would warrant/​
But in all honesty, despite all this, the store is cool. It’s hard to deny how cool this place is. It’s freaky and weird and it’s just wizardy. It is probably for these reasons I have continued to give this shop a chance– and I’m sure I haven’t been alone.

Nice little record store in Highland Park area selling vinyl, cassette and some interesting books. The counter is pretty dope as its a collage of old speakers (some not so old too). 2 listening stations in the front windows make it an enjoyable experience going thru your possible purchases as you have good light and a nice view of the street.
Vinyl seemed to be of the following genres and mostly new & reissues. House, Techno, Experimental /​Avant Guard, various sub genres of Rock, small section of Sountracks and some World Music. Not much in the way of Disco although I found some in the House section… little to no Funk or Soul unless in the World Music section. And almost no Reggae… again unless sprinkled in the World section.
Contrary to some of the other reviews I found the staff helpful & friendly. They also gave me food & beer recommendations for the area too. In regards to the prices I found them fair for the records they have. It’s expensive to manufacture records today and by the time they’re in a store 3 entities have to get paid. The folks that made it, distro and the end store. So please keep that in mind regarding the prices. There were some Japanese labels in stock that I thought were more than fairly priced.
I made a special trip out to this store that cost me about $ 30 round trip. Not sure I would do that again as I’m mostly looking for Disco, Funk, Soul, Boogie & Reggae… but I would gladly go back if in the area. They are nice and it is a cool store.

Wow, prob the most hilarious record shop I have frequented in the LA area.
Staff was awful. Really, how do expect to keep real local customers
who want no charades of pretense, just a friendly place to buy records?
Yikes…
Records were ok, but generally overpriced
The reason I buy records in this city has nothing to do with this place.

Great selection of occult books and audio. Once I found a rare title from Kenneth Grant titled the Cult of Shadows.
Great records and tapes of underground music. Perhaps their black metal section could be a little more…

Quite possibly the worst customer service I have ever encountered, on 1÷13÷15. Went in to buy a few mailers to send some LP’s out. The girl was very rude and tried to charge me twice as much as the the last guy I bought from, two days prior. Her response, when I told her what I paid two days ago, (While she rolled her eyes at me) Well, he made a mistake! Thanks, but no thanks, to self-​entitled brats, that work your store. I’ll go the other record store on York from now on. You never know who walks into your store, keep that in mind! I’ll make sure everyone I know in the music industry, avoids this store! This is why the little guys go out of business. I support local business all the way. If our local business can’t be nice, they don’t deserve our business.

This place has been a nightmare to deal with.
We ordered three t-​shirts from the store in August this year. It took a couple of weeks, but the store emailed and flagged two were out of stock. Pretty frustrating that the system let us order items they didn’t have, but these things happen. However, more than three months later, we are STILL waiting for a refund on the two t-​shirts that weren’t in stock. I chase every couple of days and the responses /​excuses keep coming:
‘Our apologies for the delay, we’re just a little low on funds at the moment.‘
And…
’ Our apologies for the delay, my boss just got back from Europe and is still getting situated.‘
And…
‘Our apologies, we should have this out to you sometime this week. Sorry, we’ve been swamped at the store lately. We do have your order and the amount to be refunded on a list. We’ll have your refund out to you asap! Our apologies again for the delay.‘
How is this acceptable from any company?! They had our money but no goods were received so this just suggests they spent our money. In the time it took them to write the apologetic emails, they could have processed our refund transaction.
As I write this, I have just called and got an answer machine. What a surprise. I live in hope of someday getting this sorted out but as a warning, don’t part with any money with this company until they confirm they have what you want in stock!

i thought it would be fair to visit the place in person, and I was impressed. Almost too much music, packed in such a small place made it hard to find some stuff (plus it was really hot in there).
Staff was nice enough — I don’t need a red carpet treatment at a record shoppe so no complaints there.
Great selection, prices that you’d expect to keep a brick and mortar afloat.
Just work on that online experience, guys.

I have shopped at Mount Analog three times and spent over $ 600. Each time, I received indifferent, poor, bordering on hostile, customer service from Mahssa, one of the store’s co-​owners. She literally dumped my records in a bag today and tossed the bag to me across the counter without a perfunctory ‘hello’ or ‘thank you’ for shopping in her store and helping contribute to the solvency of her business. I shrugged off the first two experiences to perhaps a bad day or a hangover. This behavior seems to be a reoccurring trend and/​or a source of pride for her, I feel. I will no longer refer friends and acquaintances to this store, despite a nicely eclectic selection of assorted esoterica. LA area shops such as Permanent Records or online sites such as Experimedia can offer the same products at substantially cheaper prices, I have found.
Even for an overpriced elitist specialty LA record shop, the ability to make eye contact with a customer and say «thanks» upon a transaction should be standard. Take your eyes off your computer screens, people, and acknowledge us little people that pay your bills! Sheesh.

Climb this mountain and the cosmic music treasures you discover will never disappoint.

This is definitely my favorite music store in town. I love the things that go outside of typical record store offerings (homebrew-​ish musical instruments, movies, books, etc.). The staff is great at recommending new stuff, which is where MA shines for me. Their record reviews are succinct and helpful, providing enough info for purchasing stuff I haven’t heard/​don’t know.
A lot of reviews highlight the industrial/​dark electronic inventory, but there is some great stuff I hadn’t seen elsewhere like some Italian library music from Ennio Morricone’s whistler, a John Fahey box, and a great weirdo soundtrack collection.
This is where I spend my allowance.

Undeniably the BEST record shop in Los Angeles… and the state of California! Is stocked with a well-​curated selection of new and old vinyl (CDs and cassettes as well) of diverse genres of music (electronic, experimental, industrial, folk, hip-​hop, punk, funk, world, etc.). Here you will find niche, rare + obscure music that you won’t find anywhere else. The store is equipped with listening stations so you can listen to your finds prior to purchase — such a rarity nowadays! Best of all, the employees are ‘tude-​free, helpful, knowledgeable and provide great recommendations for whatever style of music you’re into. Stores like this are few and far between and it’s evident that the owners are passionate about music and maintaining a cool shop for their customers to enjoy. Mount Analog gets 5 stars plus EXTRA bonus stars for the Jodorowsky posters that adorn the walls! ;)

This place oozes cool, and is very tailored to specific tastes– darwkwave, avant, experimental…
Though I’ve only been in once, you can consider me a fan.

This record store is the bomb. I live on the west side so it’s a bit out of the way for me. I’m not sure how people in Hollywood/​Downtown feel about the location though it’s kind of cool that you have to make an effort. It reminds me of High Fidelity.
It feels as if great care is taken in choosing everything sold in this place (it has non-​music stuff as well). It’s awesome to have a real record store back in LA. I love Amoeba too, but there aren’t listening stations. Mount Analog has a ton of stuff. I’ve been tentative to dig too much because of money, but I did have a $ 200 binge last month. The staff is crazy knowledgeable as well.
As all great record stores go, they’re more than just record stores. They’re hubs for the community and MA is definitely that. It’s nice to be able to go to a store again, meet other DJs and socialize a bit like the old days instead of shopping for music on the damn computer.
Also, THERE’S A DUB TECHNO SECTION! :)

Overall good selection!

It’s really cool how the four amazing stores in the Eagle Rock/​Highland Park neighborhood have carved out slightly different niches: Wombleton for pricey but fabulous classic British 60s and Britpop items; Gimme Gimme for affordable classic rock and new wave; Permanent Records for progressive/​experimental 70s (and in fairness much more), and now Mount Analog for everything «dark.»
Pretty much amazing store; I was flipping thru their inventory saying: (to unfamiliar stuff) «Where the hell are they finding these records?» (to stuff I knew) «That is exactly the right price for that item.»
MA carries tons of new indie stuff I have no handle on, but it was stuff I’d never seen before. Their other main sections include goth/​industrial/​darkwave, techno (not really house), oldies (60s-​80s psych thru new wave), and punk. It should be noted that this is not a generalist record shop; you couldn’t find a Beatles or Led Zeppelin album here to save your life.
Nor, frankly, should you be looking here for those. This is an impossibly well-​curated specialty boutique, the kind you might find in some dark corner of Tokyo, catering to a highly rarefied clientele. That said, the pricing was really down-​to-​earth; I passed on a Cabaret Voltaire 2×45 package in great shape for $ 14; still wondering if I should go back for it… Their floor-​based bargain bins were fascinating and worthwhile, too, so don’t miss those.
As for the gripes about the listening stations and having to leave your drivers’ license to borrow a cartridge and headphones:
1) At least they have listening stations, and the hardware is top-​notch.
2) The stations are in the front of the store and the registers are way in back, and given the neighborhood, they’d have their cartridges and headphones stolen by indolent passersby (not customers) at least once a day.
Sole gripe: the «dark» nature of the inventory also applies to the store’s lighting design; it’s hard seeing the album covers as you flip (let alone checking condition). Somehow I think you’ll work it out, though.

This place is a way overpriced, ultra-​pretentious nightmare. Mostly reissues, and more expensive than buying online. Interesting selection, but seems curated for loaded hipsters who need an instant vinyl collection of street cred selections to impress their friends. The staff is vibey and aloof, even by record store standards, and you have to give them your I.D. if you want to check out one of the records on the turntables. You don’t even trust your customers? Thanks a lot.
I seriously felt like I needed a shower after leaving that place. Odious.

Mostly new vinyl, but such a nice selection and a great space to browse in! They also sell a random assortment of magazines, used books, occult items, t-​shirts and general oddities like Buddha loop machines and medieval tarot decks — and it’s this stuff that gives the store its unique personality.
(Jodorowsky fans should come in and admire the vintage movie posters on the walls too.)
Esoterica +10 points
Getting a Mogwai album for $ 9 +10 points
Derrida quotes on the wall +1000 literati bonus