In Bangalore’s Indiranagar, On The Jungle Floor takes shape as a record store that feels more like a listening room. Founded in 2019 by Akhil Hemdev, it first existed online, curated with the sensibility of collectors rather than retailers.The collection was built on instinct rather than trends or algorithms, featuring records from Turkish psychedelia, Brazilian funk, Ethio-jazz, Afrobeat and other global sounds rarely found in the mainstream. The store is defined by a collection that is personal, intentional and niche, set in a warm space where vinyl-filled crates line the walls and a DJ console gives it the feel of a living room rather than a retail floor. Its role in shaping Bangalore’s vinyl culture has been as much about community as collection. The Heavy Rotation series became a much-loved fixture, bringing DJs and selectors together to share rare cuts and hidden gems. These gatherings, alongside crate-digging pop-ups and collaborative sessions, prioritised conversation and discovery, building a community that valued the ritual of listening as much as the music itself, a tradition that continues in the store today.

The physical space is an extension of this ethos. Listening sessions are structured around full-album plays curated by the store, inviting small groups to sit together, absorb the music in its entirety, and discuss it as the record flips from one side to the next. At other times, visitors can take over the turntable, pulling a record from the shelf and letting it spin for whoever happens to be there. On The Jungle Floor holds space for slow, intentional listening amidst a wider culture of speed and convenience. It is not simply a retail outlet but a hybrid that acts as archive, community hub and cultural commons. With its offbeat sensibility, it offers a reminder that music deserves the time to be heard, shared and remembered.