About the Film

Vinyl Play: An Exploration of the Untouchable Sound documents Jamaica’s enduring vinyl culture and the deep reverence collectors and selectors hold for analog sound. Set against the digital era, the film explores why vinyl remains unmatched as a vessel for preserving the history, frequency, and soul of Ska, Rocksteady, and Reggae. Through personal testimonies, it reveals an obsession with wax as a living archive—where sound is felt as much as heard. The documentary examines the role of blank labels, jukeboxes, and radio hits, including firsthand accounts from industry figures such as Clive Chin, legendary producer, and Jeff Sarge, radio broadcaster and producer. It traces the eras of the greatest financial and cultural value, highlights the power of album art in shaping musical discovery, and situates the sound system as a mobile community institution. The film also unpacks sound clash culture, distinguishing mass-produced vinyl from exclusive dubplates as instruments of musical competition and identity in the dancehalls.

This documentary has been ten years in the making — a labor of love shaped by Jamaica & Brooklyn’s (NY) rhythm, its vinyl culture, and the people who fueled my passion along the way. It began with the encouragement of my friend, O’Neil C. Miller, who pushed me to document the vinyl scene and would comment on the clips that I sent him of vinyl from events in Brooklyn. Adesiji Awoyinka, a coworker/collaborator, never stopped reminding me to finish what I started. His persistent ribbing — and belief in the project — helped carry me through the years. The duration of the film is sixty-seven minutes and thirty seconds. This film is for vinyl lovers worldwide and especially Brooklyn and Jamaica, my homeland, the community that inspired me, and the friends who made sure the story didn’t stay unfinished.