His attempt to save the records got others accusing him of taking advantage of the situation.
After Storm Alice flooded Ibiza earlier this month, DJ and producer Seth Troxler discovered that half of his record collection was underwater. Around 6,000 of them now sit soaked in his basement, their sleeves stuck together and mold already starting to form.
Now, Troxler is asking locals to help clean and dry what’s left of his decades-old collection before it’s too late.
A Call for Help
The tropical storm recently brought severe flooding to Ibiza, damaging homes, clubs, and cars across the island. Personal collections also suffered. Among the casualties, Troxler’s 12,000-piece vinyl archive, built over decades of crate digging and DJing. Around 6,000 records were completely submerged in the floodwaters.
After the flooding, Troxler turned to Instagram to find extra hands to sort and dry the records before mold set in.
In a clip reshared by the vinyl community account I’ve Got It On Vinyl, he offers €10 an hour for help cleaning, organizing, and laying out sleeves and discs to air-dry.
He frames the effort as a race against time: wet sleeves need to be separated, debris rinsed off, and vinyl stood upright to dry in a ventilated space.
However, the pay rate sparked mixed reactions. Some applauded the open call and hands-on approach, while others argued the offer was low for a DJ of his profile.
But the immediate aim remains clear: salvage as much of the archive as possible before it’s lost.
Extreme Weather and Cultural Loss
Storm Alice did not only hit homes and cars. Local clubs and venues in Ibiza also reported water damage and temporary closures, underscoring how quickly a single event can threaten physical music culture.
For collectors everywhere, the story resonates as both tragedy and warning. It’s also a reminder of how fragile music’s physical history can be.
And it’s not exactly the first time a collection gets permanently damaged due to a natural event. In recent years, extreme weather has increasingly endangered archives, studios, and personal collections worldwide.
During the Los Angeles fires, for instance, Belmont Music Publishing lost its entire inventory of 100,000 rental scores by composer Arnold Schoenberg. Another vinyl collector also lost 8,000 records in the same fire. Meanwhile, hundreds of musicians were affected, and many lost their gear.
As heat, fires, and flooding become more frequent and severe, archives, studios, and private collections face greater exposure to loss. Troxler’s basement is just one example of a wider problem that now reaches from professional facilities to individual shelves at home.
How to Protect or Salvage Water-Damaged Vinyl
When records get soaked, every minute counts. Mold can set in quickly, and even small mistakes during cleanup can cause permanent warping or scratches.
Here’s how to act fast and how to keep your collection safe before the next flood hits.
If the records are already wet:
- Remove each record from its sleeve and inner liner; discard any wet paper.
- Rinse the vinyl gently with clean, lukewarm water to lift grit—don’t scrub the grooves.
- Stand records vertically on a clean rack and air-dry in a well-ventilated room; use fans or a dehumidifier.
- Avoid heat sources and direct sunlight (hair dryers, radiators) to prevent warping.
- After drying, clean with a proper record solution and re-sleeve in new inners; isolate anything that shows mold.
But if you live in flood-prone areas, prevention is key. Here’s how you can prepare for this:
- Store records at least 6–8 inches off the floor on metal or sealed-plastic shelving.
- Use airtight bins or waterproof outer sleeves for rare or irreplaceable items.
- Maintain a digital catalog and scans of artwork or liner notes.
- In basements, add a dehumidifier and water-leak sensors for early warning.