Elita Records: Egypt's First Online Store for International Records

If my brief journey in the music industry had taught me a couple of lessons, one of them is that unconventional music tastes are accepted as long as it’s not mainstream pop. It’s fun and not shameful that you need to hide behind a dumpster every time someone asks you, ‘What’s your favourite genre?’. However, what has become somewhat of a nightmare for me is that ‘guilty’ pleasure of collecting international pop records. The country’s limited record shops, concentrated in Cairo, with a very exclusive record collection of psychedelic rock and electronic, offer little to no respite for those seeking contemporary pop releases. So, the chance of finding a physical copy of my favourite pop albums, whether CDs, Cassettes or vinyls of old or new releases, was not only highly unlikely but nearly impossible.

 This changed when I first came across Elita Records whilst scrolling aimlessly through my Instagram explore page –an online purveyor based in Alexandria that provides an extensive catalog of international records at price points that diverge sharply from the often exorbitant costs of overseas acquisitions. I no longer needed to purchase records from online record stores abroad that usually cost an arm and a leg –and, mind you, might never make it to me in one piece.

Intrigued, I spoke with Elite’s owner, Adham Fawzy, to uncover how the store got its start. Inspired by the famed American record shop, Spin Me Round, Adham aimed to create an affordable outlet for music heads across Egypt to acquire physical copies of their favourite artists and build their own collections. “The main concept behind Elite Records is to make collecting different physical formats of international records more accessible in Egypt.” He tells SceneNoise, “Unfortunately, many Middle Eastern artists have stopped producing physical formats of their releases. I aim to change that eventually and revive the record collecting culture.”

What initially started as a small curated outlet reflecting his personal niche taste turned into a full-fledged store that caters to all kinds of music, with a focus on contemporary international releases, from pop to alternative, rock and hip-hop. “Despite them being more expensive, that’s what appeals most to Gen Z.” Adham tells SceneNoise. However, he still thrifts older records from time to time for those who might be interested. “At Elita Records, we don’t just stock records –we take custom orders. If someone is looking for a specific vinyl or CD that we don’t have, we’ll source it for them.”

Browse Elita Records’ collection on Instagram