The 10 best records of 2013 as chosen by the world’s top record shops

10 records in 5 minutes, recapping the best of The Vinyl Factory’s Behind The Counter series.

Over the last 8 months, The Vinyl Factory has travelled around the UK and across the world to meet some of the most important and forward thinking independent record shops around. Having asked each to pick five of their favourite records for us, we’ve compiled a little round-up of ten records – one from each shop we visited – which for us represent the best of what the year had to offer. You don’t get more definitive than this; a global end of year list as selected by the world’s best record shops.

Stopping off in London, Manchester, Glasgow, Berlin, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Nashville, Tennessee, the best of Behind The Counter 2013 features some of the year’s best vinyl releases, from Spanish new wave to Dutch house, Chinese garage rock to private press cosmic disco.

Click on the links below to see each shop’s choices in full or read The Vinyl Factory’s top 100 vinyl releases of 2013 list HERE:

* Sounds Of The Universe, London: Finis Africae – A Last Discovery: The Essential Collection 1984-2011 (Em Records)

* Oye Records, Berlin: V/A – Let’s Get Into Space II (Private Records)

* Rubadub, Glasgow: MVDV – RE-DSCVRD (Optimo Music)

* Piccadilly Records, Manchester: Demdike Stare – Testpressing 3 (Modern Love)

* If Music, London: Floating Points Ensemble – Wires (Eglo)

* Groove Merchant, San Francisco: Darondo – ‘Didn’t I’ 7″ (Music City)

* Kristina Records, London: Tappa Zukie – ‘Freak’ 12″ (Stars)

* Third Man Records, Nashville: Melvins – Live at Third Man (Third Man Records)

* Origami Vinyl, Los Angeles: Dear Eloise – ‘Man Without A Name’ 7″ (Genjing Records)

* Rough Trade East, London: Tall Black Guy – 8 Miles To Moenart (First Word Records)

Films at all American locations produced by Dust & Grooves for The Vinyl Factory.