The Manganiyar Seduction is India’s first vinyl album launched by an independent label

It’s a comeback few would have predicted. Imagine a vinyl record-revival in an era where music is made on computers and platforms like the Apple iCloud are threatening to make even CDs and DVDs as extinct as the dinosaur.

But that’s precisely what’s happening. Vinyl — in recent years bought only by fanatical loyalists who refused to give up on their turntables — has suddenly returned to favour. So, audiophiles and fans are rushing to music stores to get their copies of vinyl albums like Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, or The Beatles by The Beatles — a collector’s edition with artist cards and band posters.

“The response from the audience has been overwhelming,” says Arjun Sankalia, director, international repertoire and special products, Sony India. The company recently released Michael Jackson’s Thriller 25 (the 25th anniversary edition) and Bob Dylan’s The Witmark Demos (a four-record set) among others.

Indian music companies have also jumped on the vinyl bandwagon. Saregama is bringing out classics in vinyl. Film albums like 1942: A Love Story, Dilwale Dulhaniya le Jayenge and Hum Aapke Hain Kaun are a few already on store shelves, while Mughal-e-Azam and Pakeezah are in the pipeline. Regional Indian music is also turning up the volume, with Venkateswara Suprabha-tam by M.S. Subbulakshmi and a Rabindranath Tagore record coming up.

And why not? Vinyl loyalists swear by the beauty of analog sound. Deejay Sanjay Datta, who has a collection of about 10,000 records, believes the format was part of the Golden Age of music. “I used to play vinyl sets until the format died out. It was the best time I had with music,” he says. Ankur Malhotra of Amarrass Records agrees: “As a deejay, I only spin vinyl. In fact, it’s the DJ culture that kept the format alive through what I call the dark decades of vinyl — the ’80s and ’90s.”

Iron Maiden’s album in coloured vinyl is a must have for any fan of the group

“Purists say that high quality analog sound is better than anything digital,” says Avirook Sen, director of Amarrass — India’s first independent label to release a vinyl album. Called The Manganiyar Seduction, it was launched alongside the label last November with a concert at Purana Qila, Delhi.

A sharp rise in vinyl sales worldwide has ensured more albums in the format in India. Anand Srinivasan, head, international labels, EMI India says that, “the segment is slowly building up.” EMI was the first music label to introduce the format here back in 2009 with a few international albums. The company now has more than 200 international titles in its vinyl repertoire.

While Sony India’s international vinyl catalogue includes nearly 100 artists, it has also released albums like Lagaan, Jodha Akbar and Rang De Basanti in the format. And T-Series has come up with records of Tanu weds Manu, Patiala House, Dabangg and Ready.

Treat yourself to the sheer genius of Pandit Jasraj, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, Richard Clayderman and Rahul Sharma in vinyl; (below) Denon’s turntables come with a range of exciting features

Obviously, music companies are pinning a lot of hope on the success of Hindi film music sales in vinyl, though they realise it’ll be limited compared to digital formats. “This is a niche market, mainly for collectors, and we plan to only release soundtracks of A-list Bollywood films in this format,” says Jatin Gill, vice president, music division, T-Series. Most music stores in India like Music World, Rhythm House, Reliance Timeout and so on stock up on records. These can also be ordered on company websites.

And it’s not all black (most records are pressed on black vinyl). EMI’s Iron Maiden - Best of 1990-2010 has pictures embedded on the records (some albums are pressed on coloured vinyl or come embedded with pictures). In the Indian music segment, expect records such as Pandit Jasraj’s Bhajan Saagar, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia’s Spiritual Lounge and The Confluence by French pianist Richard Clayderman and Rahul Sharma.

It goes without saying that turntables will also grow in popularity. In Calcutta, SKS Traders provides any turntable model by Thorens or Pro-Ject on order. Says Shubho Pathak, owner: “While Calcuttans are still largely ignorant about vinyl, the last two months have definitely seen a rise in turntable sales.” Prices range from anything between Rs 17,000 and Rs 2.5 lakh.

ProFx, a specialist audio company based in Bangalore, stocks Denon’s turntables. There’s the DP-200 USB, (Rs 16,000), which can import songs from records into a USB device. Another great turntable is the DP-300F — at about Rs 22,000, it’s a fully automatic system. Saregama now sells Lenco turntables, while Amarrass sources turntables from the US for clients who ask for them.

On the flip side, Datta remains sceptical about the trend. Vinyl is a medium that he doesn’t like using anymore since it’s an expensive and rare format in this day and age and the sound will be alien to the current generation.

But then, what’s life without a hint of vintage delight?