Once a relic of the past relegated to collectors and enthusiasts, vinyl has quietly become the soundtrack of a new kind of urban nostalgia in India. As algorithms dominate our Spotify playlists and compressed audio takes over the airwaves, more of us are turning to the warm, tactile charm of old-fashioned vinyl records. This resurgence is about something more than fleeting nostalgia for retro aesthetics; it's about reclaiming the slowness, ceremony, and intimacy of listening to music together, in real life. The result of this analogue revival is most evident in the rise of local vinyl listening events that blend culture, community, and creative expression.
On Sunday, June 8, Journal Café in Santacruz is joining this vinyl resurgence by swapping out its usual sound system for turntables. This weekend, the neighbourhood café is joining hands with India Record Co. to present 'Soulful Sundays' — a mellow afternoon brunch curated for those who enjoy mindful ingredients-first food, good music, and better company.
At the heart of Soulful Sundays is a jukebox-style listening experience featuring classic soul, jazz, and indie tracks, as well as the Mumbai premiere of 'Great State of Mind: One for the Soul', a new limited-edition compilation celebrating independent Indian musicians.
For first-time listeners, the event will also offer a hands-on demo of how vinyl works — from needle placement to understanding how grooves capture sound. It's poised to be both educational and immersive, aimed at making analogue sound accessible and interactive, and fostering a more conscious relationship with music through tangible media.
Beyond music, the event will include a vinyl painting and upcycling corner, where guests can turn old, discarded records into original artworks under the guidance of a local artist. It's an invitation to engage not just with music, but with material culture — creatively and consciously.
Journal's brunch menu is as carefully curated as this event. With a focus on feel-good flavours and dietary inclusivity, the café offers vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and non-vegetarian options that align with its ingredient-forward ethos. Highlights of their seasonal summer menu include mango matcha with shokupan toast, Turkish eggs, bacon jam and fig toast, French-style omelettes, and vegan pancake stacks.
Homegrown labels like India Record Co. has been instrumental in cultivating a new generation of record-lovers and vinyl enthusiasts by blending archival preservation with contemporary curations. As events like Soulful Sundays bridge the gap between generations of listeners, they also signal a growing appetite for experiences that feel personal, unhurried, and rooted in community.
TL;DR:
Soulful Sundays: a warm, slow Sunday afternoon of vinyl listening, mindful ingredient-forward brunching, and creative expression through community.
Date: Sunday, 8th June 2025
Time: 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Place: Journal, 396-3, North Ave, Potohar Nagar, Santacruz (West), Mumbai, Maharashtra 400054.
For more information, follow Journal Café.
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