Our quirky seaside town is defined by independence. Whether it's in the seemingly infinite independent businesses that make up the laines, or the regular opposition to dietary norms in our casually common vegan diets, or our unabashedly Green political ideologies, Brighton is a town that has a delightfully palpable independent spirit.

This spirit of independence manifests throughout Brighton, regularly in the form of the genre-spanning, fruitfully stocked independent record stores that populate Brighton's high streets. Below is a list of the creme de la creme of Brighton record shops, lovingly picked to fulfill your wildest record collecting dreams.

Resident Records (27-28 Kensington Gardens)

Situated in the North Laine, you'll find the behemoth of Brighton's record shops, Resident Records. If my regularly incorrect memory is correct, Resident is the first independent record shop I ever set foot in. It was their eclectic selection and obvious passion for independent music that kickstarted my own love of record shops. The once intimate shop has now blossomed into a large, genre-spanning beacon of musical delights. With staff picks, all the latest tickets to local gigs and the occasional in store live session, this record shop is a must-visit for any music lover.

Rare Kind Records / The Middle Floor (104 Trafalgar Street)

This multi-story vinyl joint is an institution for Brighton DJs. The first floor houses a wealth of new and old Hip Hop and RnB treasures. Then, just upstairs on the Middle Floor, is Brighton's best collection of UK Bass, Techno, Grime, Garage, Jungle, House, Disco and Electronica. For those looking for something odd and delicious to spin, look no further than the incredibly reasonable and diverse Rare Kind Records.

Across the Tracks (110 Gloucester Road)

As record collectors are often aware, it's not all about the pristine, fresh releases. Sometimes you've got to get your hands dirty in the 2nd hand record bins to find what you want, and there's nowhere better to do so than Across The Tracks. Just around the corner from Resident in the North Laine, Across the Tracks' varying collection of Rock, Blues, Motown, Pop, Hip Hop and Dance gems is begging you to delve in.

The Punker Bunker (34 Sydney St)

This delightfully grimy basement is the perfect spot for getting your regular dosage of all things punk. Situated underneath Immediate, the second-hand clothing store, lies a haven of the Brighton punk scene. Unexpectedly, the Punker Bunker has the most eclectic collection of punk records to browse through, plus an unmatched selection of punk zines, merchandise and is the leading organizer of Brighton punk gigs. Undoubtedly, the Punker Bunker will satisfy all your guitar-thrashing needs.

Record Album (8 Terminus Rd)

No list of Brighton's best independent record shops would be complete without a mention of Record Album. The shop holds the prestigious title of being Brighton's oldest record shop. After being in business since 1948, Record Album is nothing short of a Brighton institution. 87-year-old George Ginn, a former RAF Serviceman, has enjoyed 5 decades of business there, since purchasing the shop in the late 60s. The record shop specializes in film scores, housing an eclectic mix of original film soundtracks from Ennio Moriconne to Sinatra, satisfying film and music buffs alike.

The Wax Factor (24 Trafalgar St)

This multi-faceted labyrinth of a shop will have you losing countless hours of your day getting lost between the sleeves of their infinite collection of second hand vinyl. Just up the road from Rare Kind Records, is this triple-threat of a book shop, record store and 50s diner-esque cafe, all chaotically woven into one another. This is one of my personal favourite record stores in Brighton as the shop is overflowing with films, books and records to get your hands on, making it an absolute must for record collectors and keen shoppers in general.

Mr. Bongo (121-123 Gloucester Road)

The editor's pick. The Mr. Bongo record store opened just this year, but the music aficionados behind it have been digging up rare wax from all over the world since 1989! Between flying all over the world searching for records, DJing at Patterns, on NTS and on Gilles Peterson's Worldwide FM, and putting on live shows at the Jazz Cafe in London, the Mr. Bongo crew don't have much spare time. As a result, this record store is only open 11am-6pm on Saturdays, but in those glorious seven hours you'll be able to unearth the very best in music from around the globe.

The eclectic genre-catering the Brighton record scene provides is really worth seeking out. It's one of the greatest aspect of the Brighton music scene and is worth your support. We're all well aware of the difficulty in maintaining a successful independent record store, as we've seen many of Brighton's great record shops, such as Borderline and Rounder, close down in the last few years. So, live every day like it's record store day and support these beloved record stores!