Last Christmas, to make room for a tree, I dis-assembled my hifi unit and (temporarily, I thought) lugged my hi-fi and records up to the study.

Power, Corruption & Lies

I had been thinking about expanding the amount of storage I had for hifi and vinyl, perhaps moving from 2x2 storage cubes to 2x3, although Ikea don't make a 2x3 version of their stalwart vinyl storage line, the Kallax. I had begun exploring other options, both at Ikea and other places. Meanwhile, I re-purposed my old Expedit unit as storage for my daughter's Sylvanian Families.

Under Lockdown, I've spent a lot more time in my study, and so I've set up the hifi there. It turns out I have a lot more opportunity to enjoy the records up here, during work, and I've begun to explore some things which I haven't listened to in a long time, or possibly ever. I thought I'd start keeping track of some of them.

Power, Corruption and Lies is not something rarely listened to. It's steadily become my favourite New Order album. When I came across this copy (Factory, 1983), it was in pristine condition, but it now bears witness to my (mostly careful) use. There's now a scratch somewhere towards the end of the first track Age of Consent which causes my turntable to loop. By some good fortune the looping point is perfectly aligned to a bar. I don't always notice it straight away. This record rarely makes it back down from the turntable to where it's supposed to live.