If you thought the hipster vinyl trend of the past couple years was slowing down, think again. The enduring used record stores and smattering of cool new record shops aside, business has been going well, so well in fact that many names are expanding their business. So if you’re a collector or a noob, here are at least three reasons to be excited.
The Analog Vault finally goes digital
We were cautiously excited about these guys when they opened up at the Esplanade Mall last August, but they’ve proved to be a great option for the culture-starved, selling books, magazines and of course, vinyl records. They specialize in new, pre-loved and rare hip hop, jazz and electronic records, and offer some rock and token pop ones as well (they’ve had Bieber in their catalog once upon a time). It might have taken them a year, but they’ve finally launched a website with an e-store that shares the brick and mortar store’s eclectic catalog. So if you’re looking for something rare, like the original pressing of Kruder & Dorfmeister’s sessions record, you can try your luck online. As for their brick and mortar store at Esplanade, manager Matthew Sekiya says the average visitor browses for an hour, longer if they’re collectors. Looks like a good sign.
Chinatown welcomes Hear Records’ second store
Despite its size, the small but very charismatic space in the unassuming Burlington Square has been deemed as one of the world’s best record stores to visit by an esteemed special interest magazine last month. And it rings true too, since they have a impressive range of records, from oldies but goodies The Verve, The Jesus and Mary Chain to indie acts like Viet Cong, Beirut and Liars. While digging, you’re bound to find some pretty fun world music as well. Now they’ve expanded to Chinatown providing the same huge variety as the first store, with the exception that their used titles have been organized alphabetically and according to sections for jazz, blues, compilations and even Japanese artistes. Have a gander this weekend at the new store cause there’s a 20% discount off all used vinyl. Also, there are regular stock updates on their Facebook for you to keep tabs.
#Vinyloftheday unveils a new app with a vinyl marketplace
It’s going to get much easier for you to get your hands on records you’ve been looking for, especially if they’re readily available right at your fingertips. Local vinyl interest site #vinyloftheday, came to fruition after a bout of bad experiences at record stores and on discussion forums, and have since set-up a nifty gig with fair pricing, cognizant reviews and a community that’s well-engaged. The people behind this collective are working DJs, producers, musicians and music curators themselves, so you know you’re in good hands. They’ve just unveiled an app for the vinyl community to share their collections, wishlists and of course, to buy and sell vinyl; pretty much like Carousell but for vinyl. No word on the official release date but if you’re itching to try it out, you can sign up to beta test the app here.
Excited? Have a look at our roundup of Singapore’s best vinyl stores.
