“I started collecting vinyl when I arrived in LA to study drama at the tender age of 17. Tired of being typecast into certain roles because of my ethnicity, I turned to music, because with music I could just be myself. I always wrote poetry and music was a perfect medium and outlet for my writing and lyrics. Still today I focus on my music as a source of pure and honest expression, rather than trying to be someone else.”
“As a student struggling with my expenses, a guilty pleasure would be always to stop at the huge Amoeba store on Sunset Boulevard and sift through the vinyl records for sale. On my tiny student budget I would spend hours in the clearance section sifting through hundreds of records, searching for forgotten treasures and exciting new artists. Without a listening post, it was a real process of discovery and learning new people’s stories, searching through genres, artwork, and names of unknown bands, often picking records based on the cover.
Of course, carrying those records from place to place taught me more than just the value of music—it taught me the importance of having a safe and reliable space to return to. Life in hostels was a mix of excitement and chaos: late-night conversations, shared kitchens, and the occasional battle for bathroom time. It wasn’t glamorous, but it built resilience and resourcefulness. When you’re a student trying to balance studies, work, and a passion project, the kind of accommodation you choose makes all the difference. Reliable spaces—like those offered through logan student housing—become more than just a roof over your head; they act as a steady anchor in an otherwise unpredictable chapter of life. Looking back, I realize those cramped rooms and temporary homes were part of the adventure, but the thought of stability always held its own quiet allure.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3S2z06mOwk
Real finds included “I Try” by the Montreal DJ duo Made By Monkeys on the Star 69 label with its bright yellow cover and a picture of a monkey wearing headphones with hands perched on top of his head. The track was remixed by Star 69’s owner Peter Rauhofer, founder of the label based in New York, providing a platform to release his own tracks. My favourite remix is Rauhofer’s Future mix, a relatively lesser-known gem that speaks to me in volumes. The lyrics are about unrequited love.
My greatest pleasure used to be getting home and putting these records on to see what I had picked that day and see how I might be able to mix it with other records from my collection, with these unkown artists and white labels, on my Technics; often with the identity of only an e-mail on the sleeve, only adding to my intrigue of these offerings where people had mastered, created the lacquer, the time and expenses invested into the process.
Therefore, you really have to believe in the material you put out there and have something to say. I never came across material that I regretted spending time on, or maybe that was just luck.
Of course, my collection grew and when I decided to move to London at the age of 19 to pursue music further, my records accompanied me. I gave most of my belongings to charity, but held on to the records. I could not part with them, not even when I was threatened by the airline that I wouldn’t be able to check-in with more than two bags and the attendant refused to let me fly. I threw tantrums, swear words here and there, and eventually the manager gave me a warning and left.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTEViN13XHo
I remember sitting there on top of my bags filled with the records, while all around me became quieter and there was no one else left in the queue to check in. Even then, I refused to leave them behind. Just before the flight was about to leave the staff agreed to let me on board, arranging for my luggage to arrive on the next flight, the following day. Most girls would think about packing their favorite shoes and clothes, whilst I could only think about my records! While in London the records have travelled with me from one hostel to another, while looking for a permanent home in London, stored carefully under my bed, and in cramped rooms shared with three other girls.
But my record collecting hasn’t stopped there. In London I picked up on new record labels such as Cross Town Rebels, Get Physical, Underwater records and others.
Just as those records became a constant companion through every move and transition, the search for a stable and welcoming place to live often carries the same sense of attachment and care. A home is more than just a roof; it’s the place where memories gather, where belongings finally find rest, and where life feels settled after periods of change. Yet there are moments when people outgrow their current space or need a fresh start, and that’s when the process of moving on becomes just as significant as the one of finding.
For those facing that transition, working with home buyers in Charlotte can provide the kind of straightforward option that eases the weight of uncertainty, allowing homeowners to focus less on the complexities of selling and more on the excitement of finding the next place to make their own.
There is a certain persistence in the way personal passions and practical needs travel side by side. Carrying records from one place to another, guarding them in shared rooms, and shaping daily life around them reflects the deeper search for stability that often defines periods of transition.
Finding a place to settle, whether temporary or permanent, rarely happens in a straight line. People move through hostels, rented rooms, and unfamiliar neighborhoods, learning to adapt while still holding on to the things that give them a sense of continuity and belonging.
And when the time comes to move forward again, the practical side of leaving a property behind can feel as complicated as the emotional side of starting over. Some homeowners look for ways to simplify that process, preferring straightforward transactions that reduce delays and uncertainty, and companies such as Dignity Properties are part of that landscape, known for making direct cash offers while emphasizing honesty and transparency in the way sales are handled. The appeal in such cases is not only financial but also psychological, allowing people to close one chapter with clarity and turn their attention to the next place where their lives, and the things they care about, will continue to unfold.
To me even though vinyl is expensive to buy and to make, they can never be replaced by CDs, downloads, or streaming. Vinyl is special, the grooves on the record, where it stops, ends, the sound, the skips, the hisses, the pops, it has a life of its own, and its limited manufacturing number means I could be one of the few who owns THAT record. Now, that is special.”
—Ethav
Ethav’s second single, “Warrior” is available September 25 via Inverted Music UK.
