kompressorkanonen wrote:

Oslo is the capital of Norway (which is a country, not - contrary to popular belief - the capital of Sweden) with a population of around half a million. Best visited in summer, make sure you take a boat trip to the islands around the city if you're here somewhere between early June and late August. Most of the museums and regular tourist attractions are fairly worthless, so more time for shopping, eh? The shops here could have been better, but, having been to a number of European cities, they could definitely have been worse, too.

(1) Electronic and/or multiple-genre stores:

- New records

The main shop for electronic heads is Filter Musikk, which also sells instruments and DJ gear. Lots of new stuff and quite a bit of 2nd hand gems. Has just about all dance music-related genres, 99% vinyl. (Recently moved to a new location, the address given here is the current one!) Address: Skippergata 33 in the city centre / fon: 22 82 85 80

If you're not strictly electronic, check Tiger (Hammersborggata right across the road from the John Dee concert hall in the city centre, fon: 22 20 73 50) and Big Dipper (Torggata 16/Torggata Bad, city centre / fon: 22 20 14 41 - NB! Recently moved to a new location 300 yards down the street, this is the current address!) - useful shops with OK selections of alternative music in general. Tiger is better as far as electronic music goes in my opinion and has a decent selection of experimental electronics, both CDs and vinyl.

Should you, on the other hand, be into synthpop/EBM/industrial/goth and other such musics which imply that you're the kinda guy who don't need to sort your laundry by colour, visit Shadowland. They used to have quite a bit of techno and rhythmic noise-type stuff too, but they seem to have stopped stocking that, unfortunately. Address: Storgata 9 in the city centre (tricky to find - it's located on the 1st floor on the left hand side in a backyard which is situated right next to Body Shop) / fon: 22 20 22 55. Furthermore, the shop is closed on Wednesdays (!). And of course, it's run by a Swede.

Bebop is a nice little shop in the west end whose main focus is jazz (as you'd guess from the name). But they have a decent (but far from overwhelming) section of electronic CD's too. Some vinyl as well, but mainly with trumpets and that kind of thing. Nice shop but a bit out of the way and best suited for people looking for jazz CD's, really. Address: Frognerveien 30C (tram 11 or 12 to Elisenberg will get you there)/fon: 22 55 11 66

If you don't mind buying CDs in a mainstream shop, Platekompaniet is Norway's leading chain store and has 4 shops in Oslo alone: Bogstadveien 40/Majorstuen, Stortingsgaten 22/city centre, and the Byporten and Oslo City shopping malls. The two-floor shop at Oslo City could be worth a visit for the sheer volume of CDs in stock and infamous theme-based price reduction schemes. They have a decent selection of electronic music, too (but nothing on vinyl). Unforunately the Oslo City branch has reduced its CD stock somewhat lately in favor of DVDs. Prepare for a massive queue, btw. Oh, and the branches that aren't located in shopping centres have ungodly opening hours - until 10pm every day, and 9pm on Sundays.

- 2nd hand:

The biggest one is definitely Råkk & Rålls Nåstalgi, which has equal amounts of vinyl and CD. They recently moved from their previous location at Arbeidersamfunnets Plass into a three-floor space which has both records and various nostalgia items (furniture etc.) Their new shop looks pretty damn cool and is a massive improvement over the old one. Electronic music isn't their main priority but it's entirely possible to stumble upon interesting (and often overpriced) stuff. Worth a visit. They have a listening booth, too. Address: Akersgata 39 (city centre) / fon: 22 36 04 88.

Pretty Price has books, comics, records and a bit of porn. Again, it's mostly pop/rock but if you have the time... Address: Dronningens gate 23 (city centre) / fon: 22 42 52 89

Lucky Eddie is a bit off the beaten track, and again one of those 2nd hand shops that sell everything including records (they probably have one of the best selections of comics in the entire country). Tram no. 17 (Grefsen) is your best bet to get there. Plenty of both vinyl and CDs, although I rarely find anything that interests me there. Address: Trondheimsveien 63 (Carl Berner) / fon: 22 19 40 10

Oslo Rockantikvariat is very small and doesn't have that much, but they have some cheap CDs and some classic rock on LP. They're not always open when they claim to be. Address: Fredensborgveien 17 (city centre) / fon: 22 11 13 13

Ringstrøms antikvariat is a bit of an institution both for 2nd hand books and records, but the music section is mainly for the rock collector. Pop in if you have the time. Address: Wessels gate 2(city centre - they just moved to this address btw!) / fon: 22 20 00 13

Platelageret is the most obscure 2nd hand shop I know - it's open two days a week only (!!) - Thursdays and Saturdays - and is located in a wooden house in a backyard not far from the very authentic-looking 1950's style Teddy's Softbar. A senior record collector runs it. All sorts of music really, and you can listen to it too. Address: Brugata 3 C / Grønland

Spøk og spenning has mostly rock and such but you never know what you can stumble upon. 2nd hand magazines and a bit of books also if I remember correctly. Address: ***update - the shop has moved to Helgesens gate 10/Grünerløkka (100 yards from their previous location) and has downsized their record selection considerably, so the shop is now of little interest for people looking for electronic music ***

Rock Classic is 1 minute down the street from where I live (Bjølsen), which means that it's somewhat awkwardly located compared to, well, everything really. They have a life-size Elvis cardboard cutout figure as well as a predominantly rock-oriented record selection (lots of Beatles). Open three days a week only, and mainly for anoraks. Address: Gjøvikgata something. Buses 37 or 54 to Advokat Dehlis plass, or 20 to Arendalsgata.

And finally, if you're in town on a Saturday, check what's up on the Youngstorget square; there's sometimes a funny old guy selling records there under the name Vimle Vinyl, as well as another guy selling cheap CDs/DVDs.

Location-wise, most of these shops (Filter, Shadowland, Tiger, Big Dipper, Platekompaniet) are within a five-minute radius by foot; take the tube to Jernbanetorget station or simply walk. The new Råkk & Rålls is better served by Stortinget tube station. This is also the case with Oslo Rockantikvariat and Ringstrøms; even better, bus no. 37 (Nydalen) to Nordahl Bruns gate.

On a final note - if you want to buy books, make sure you visit Tronsmo.

(2) Specialist shops (non-electronic):

(This list will necessarily be brief & incomplete due to ignorance on my part - expect very infrequent updates)

Stress (Grensen 9/City centre) - hiphop/r&b. And streetwear.

Blackout (Schous Plass 6/Grünerløkka) - mostly non-musicy accessories for hiphop peoples but some records too, apparently.

Neseblod Records (Rathkes gate 7/Sofienberg) - hard rock/metal

Sound of Noise (Youngsgt. 11, entrance in Hammersborggata/city centre) - hard rock/metal

Bare Jazz (Grensen 8/city centre) - well, you figure out what music they sell... it's also a cafe, though! Very cool.

Aktiv klassisk (Øvre Slottsgate 5/city centre) - classical. No idea what this is like.

Musikk-Huset (Kirkegata 30/city centre) - part mainstream, part classical (on the 1st floor). Insanely knowledgeable staff in the latter department, and it's probably the best shop for classical music in the entire country.

Cruisin Records (Tollbugata 28/city centre) - mainly rockabilly and 60's stuff, apparently.

(3) Record fairs

I don't have a habit of going to these, but anyway the fairs in Oslo usually take place at Rockefeller Music Hall (Torggata 16, entrance Mariboes gate/city centre) or Folkets Hus (Youngs gate 11/city centre). Admission is usually around NOK 30-40. A list of upcoming record fairs throughout Norway can be found here.

Biong wrote:

Nice list there KK, you forgot one shop, although they only deal on the internet these days www.fetespor.com for alternative electronic stuff, some obscure norwegian labels in their catalouge too :-)

AnalogAutomat wrote:

For more hiphop related vinyl visit Stress in Grensen [www.stress.no] or Blackout at Schous Plass. Blackout has mainly spraycans and skateboard related articles, but also records and lots of magazines.

ambro_italo wrote:

I am going to Oslo this weekend and wanted to know if the stores in this listing are still there?
Any essential places? Flea markets etc?
Looking for second hand vinyl:
Genres:
disco
italo

woofhard_one wrote:

Råkk & Rålls Nåstalgi everytime for me. I've been to Oslo a few times and always come out of this store with an armful of good stuff. Good luck !!