Other Music

Other Music is an enchanting documentary directed by Rob Hatch-Miller, Puloma Basu and released in the year 2019. The film presents an intimate, nostalgic, emotional journey with many elements that make it memorable – the unique collection of records, the iconic indie record store, and the individuals who ran it.

At the heart of the documentary are the co-founders of Other Music, Chris Vanderloo, and Josh Madell, along with Daniel Givens and a host of other equally interesting contributors. This indie record store, located in the East Village of New York City, was more than just a place to buy music. For the people who worked there and the loyal customers who kept coming back, it was a community and a hub for creative expression.

The film dives deep into the foundation and subsequent rise of Other Music, which was regarded as one of the greatest record stores in the world. Cleverly named as 'Other Music' to distinguish it from the corporate giant Tower Records across from its location, this store was a haven for music lovers who sought out the unique, the experimental, and the obscure. It was a place where the unusual was celebrated rather than ignored, a place to discover the music that fell outside the realm of the mainstream.

Other Music was also about the people – the passionate, eccentric, and dedicated staff who were just as diverse and interesting as the records they sold. Vanderloo, Madell, and Givens play themselves in the documentary, offering insights into the daily operation of the store and the driving forces behind the choice of music stocked. These individuals had a wide grasp of various music genres, from indie rock, electronic, jazz, to world music, hip hop and more. Therefore, the documentary doubles as an exploration into the diverse world of music itself, through the perspective of those who lived and inhaled it every day.

The film skillfully employs archival footage, interviews with the founders, staff, customers and musicians, succeeding in painting a vivid portrayal of not just a record store, but also a changing music industry landscape and a snapshot of a time in New York City's rich cultural history. The closure of Other Music, in 2016, symbolized the passing of an era, making this documentary a profound and moving tribute to its legacy.

Beyond the story of a single record store, this documentary considers the overall landscape for independent businesses in New York City and the shift in music consumption from physical formats and community-centered stores to online streaming and individualized listening. At its core, it's also about the personal relationships that form around shared passions, the magic of discovering new music, and the pursuit of creative authenticity in the face of commercial pressure.

The film also features appearances from notable musicians like Matt Berninger of The National, James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem, Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig and actor-comedian Ben Sinclair among others. Their testimonials offer us a glimpse into how Other Music influenced and inspired them, serving as a testament to the store's broad impact on the wider music industry.

Other Music does more than just document the story of a beloved independent record store – it celebrates the joy and power of music, and the communities that music can build. It offers a reminder of the significance of physical spaces for music discovery and the rich exchange of ideas. The film is a poignant exploration and a showcase of how an indie record store endured within, and ultimately fell victim to, a rapidly changing music industry dominated by digitization and streaming.

Ultimately, Other Music is a touching tribute, an engaging history, and a poignant warning about the perils facing independent merchants in an increasingly corporate-dominated marketplace. It hits the right chords with music lovers and induces a strong sense of nostalgia, making it a must-watch for all music aficionados, artists, cultural historians, and anyone who's ever gotten lost in the aisle of a record store.