A Street of Vinyl Stories

By Rafi Mercer

Brick Lane has always had a rhythm of its own — curry house chatter, market shouts, footsteps over cobbles. But for me, it has always been the record shops that carry its deepest pulse. Tucked between cafés and vintage stalls, you’ll find crates stacked with everything from reggae sevens to obscure techno twelves, soul LPs worn from play, jazz imports waiting for their next life.

Digging here is never just about buying. It’s about discovery. A record you didn’t expect to see, a sleeve that reminds you of a night years ago, a track that instantly becomes part of your story. Brick Lane has that quality: the sense that music isn’t an accessory but the true currency of the street.

On a Sunday, with the market buzzing outside, you can lose hours flicking through vinyl, headphones on, the world reduced to groove and sleeve. This is what a city does at its best — it hides music in plain sight, waiting for you to lean in and listen.

Rafi Mercer writes about the spaces where music matters. For more stories from Tracks & Tales, subscribe here, or click here to read more.