The Complex World of Digging || Resident Advisor

What exactly makes '90s records so loved—and fought over?

Digging—the art of searching for records—can take many different forms. From clicking through endless rabbit holes on Discogs and getting swept up by the YouTube algorithm, to, as the name suggests, spending hours thumbing through the bargain bins of record shops.

Digging is also a catch-all term for one corner of clubland. Soundtracked by the house, techno and electro of the '90s and early '00s, this world is driven by a love of obscure records. The scene emerged during the late '90s, led by DJs like Ricardo Villalobos, Vera and Zip and popularised at clubs such as Club der Visionaere in Berlin, fabric in London and, years later, Phonotheque in Montevideo.

In the age of the internet, there are more ways to go deeper and deeper, finding records that are rarer and rarer. Over time, politics and various unwritten rules have emerged: price hikes on Discogs, the economics of reissues and guarding track IDs as if they were gold.

All this begs the question: is it possible to value old records while also sharing them? Can you develop a unique sound and be inspired by the DJs you love? How do you balance innovation and nostalgia?

This short film explores the complex world of digging.