[Shanghai Secrets] The Sound Library's First Shop in Shanghai

Shanghai Secrets is a column devoted to the city's most elusive treasures – the tucked-away spots, under-the-radar experiences, and word-of-mouth wonders that even long-time locals might not know. From clandestine cocktail bars and unmarked dumpling dens to artisans and ateliers hidden in plain sight, we curate Shanghai's best-kept secrets. If you have to know someone to find it, you'll find it here.

Nestled away on the second floor of a building in EKA Tianmu in outer stratosphere Pudong is a real cool and neat place called "The Sound Library" and it's exactly that – a library of natural and created sounds coming out of all corners of China.

So... what is it?

Specifically, The Sound Library is a 1,000-square-meter emporium of natural, found-sound field recordings, a Chinese indie music record store, and a stereo equipment and vinyl record player shop all in one.

Operating in the indie music retail business in China for about a decade now, The Sound Library has outlets in Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, and this is their first shop in Shanghai. It is indeed super neat and well worth a visit!

Here's a breakdown, section by section:

Nature's music

On the right, when you get to the second floor of The Sound Library...

...is a huge section of field recordings – natural recordings from mountains, rivers, and scenic spots around China – available for purchase for a few 100 yuan (US$14.7) as little white noise machines. Compiled over eight years and featuring the music of nature from 10 provinces in China, it includes ambient noise from places like Hulun Lake and the Greater Khingan Mountains.

It's like soothing spa noise but for super-snobs of the genre of "soothing spa noise." Undoubtedly, The Sound Library is the No. 1 place in town to go for people looking for the latest bangers from the Changma River or sick joints from Poyang Lake.

Jokes aside, if you need a little more serene, white noise in your life, hey, check it out! Also, we're thinking these little machines would make for really thoughtful gifts for people missing a little corner of China or out on nature in general.

We can see this becoming our new favorite genre, though, just taking over the stereo at parties, like, "What, you haven't heard the latest Yulong Snow Mountain and Glacier Park? What have you even been doing?"

Sounds from the underground

Probably the main draw of The Sound Library, for general audiences, is their really well-curated record store for Chinese indie music in vinyl, CD and even cassette format. They've got partnerships with more than 100 indie labels, with all the main "larger" indies represented: Modern Sky, Badhead, NewNoise, RandomForest Records, Grand Sounds and more.

Their catalog is organized by label, which is great for exploring new bands and new artists. You'll find all sorts of things like this:

And this...

Any sound library must, of course, include the queen to be adequately called a Sound Library.

There is a massive selection, and this is but a small snapshot...

Most albums here come with recommendations from management for similar artists and releases, and some have additional annotations from Chinese music critics and even the creators themselves. It's super well-thought-out and great for indie music historians or for newcomers looking for inroads into the scene.

One more great find...

In this section, you'll also find listening stations that rotate specific albums chosen by management. These are evocative of traditional library cubicles – a nice touch. Guests can leave a note about what they thought of the music.

Vintage-looking, modern-sounding audio and HiFi equipment

If you've got more disposable income to dedicate to your passion for music, The Sound Library also has a huge selection of vinyl record players, CD players, Bluetooth speakers, portable players, and headphones, ranging from a few hundred RMB for an all-in-one turntable to several 1,000 yuan for state-of-the-art Sennheiser headphones.

The vinyl record payers in particular are super cool, merging a vintage look with modern convenience. Most of these models include speakers and are even battery-powered, so you can play records anywhere.

Another great gift idea, especially for the most important person in your life: yourself. Get something that looks cool and is simple to set up for your living room or your bedroom and then have people over to listen to records. Very nice!

Private sound theater

Also tucked away at The Sound Library is a private theater space, with super fancy Dolby 7.14 surround sound technology. They host music salons and listening events for around 100 guests, and the space is rentable if you need to host a viewing event, and you need the best sound system available to humanity. Maybe a "4'33" by John Cage listening party. Put that system to the test.

A gift shop at the front of the venue completes the look, with neat little music boxes, band merch, and audio accessories on offer. Perfect if you've got an audiophile with a birthday coming up. Rock on!

If you go:

Opening hours: 10am-10pm, daily

Address: 2/F, Bldg 16, 535 Jinqiao Rd, Pudong New Area

浦东新区金桥路535号