by Isabella D. Argosino

We all have our special mecca. For a select demographic, all they have to do is drop a needle and it’s enough to take them home. If that’s a bit too romanticized for you, then clearly you don’t speak the same language as the world’s record collectors – mortals doomed to this beautiful, expensive love affair.

And so photographer Eilon Paz decided to chronicle this amorous relationship between man and record. What began as a simple blog, developed into Dust & Grooves. From starting out in New York’s Tropicalia in Furs, an embassy of rarities and psychedelic oddities located in the East Village, where the Brooklynbased lens-man spent six years photographing record collectors, he then moved on to more private rooms where collections are kept. 436 pages and two editions later, Paz’s mission in illuminating over 130 vinyl collectors in their most intimate environment amongst shelves of their beloved 45s, remains successfully solidified in thousands of coffee tables worldwide.

With a foreword by Wu-Tang Clan rapper/producer RZA, the photo book also features full-length interviews and quotes. What this book is not, however, is a bunch of pictures of happy hipsters in flannel shirts rocking Bon Iver beards, poised with their favorite record in hand, as if it were that perfect attendance trophy they won in sixth grade. Instead, it’s a living testimony to how a mere object can be an extension of one’s self.

This is how your favorite DJs, DJs you’ve never heard of, producers, dealers, and everyday enthusiasts go to church. Whether it’s the gospel of J. Dilla, weird, German jazz, or some score to a horror film, Paz’s coffee table book is an enchanting encapsulation of the community and rich culture behind life on wax. It’s a must-read for music lovers, vinyl junkies, and anyone who’s ever wondered about the fine art and sacred ritual that is record collecting. Dust & Grooves has it all – from its heritage and roots, all the while keeping the underground integrity of analog alive.

Interested in owning a copy? Let us know, and Dust & Grooves could soon be available at the Satchmi store!