Here's to waxing lyrical, on wax.

[Updated Nov 30] CDs, a relic of a not-so-distant past may be experiencing a dearth here, but thankfully, there is still the resurgence of the dusty old vinyl. To indulge in some audio archaeology, strike out for these stores.

Simply Music

Denny Pue started this shop more than a decade ago, when his own collection got too big to keep at home. These days he sells high-quality vintage vinyl, including albums by '30's Shanghai songstress Yao Lee and iconic '40's Chinese singer and actress, Zhou Xuan. Sadly, most of the store's original '60's albums from Singapore bands like The Quests are out of stock. A golden assortment of bebop records, both original and re-issue, is supplemented by a choice selection of 1980s Canto-pop albums, most in pristine condition.

Red Point Record Warehouse

Since opening eleven years ago, Ong Chai Koon’s monumental shop has already achieved legendary status among collectors and rival sellers. With an estimated 70,000 albums, and a warehouse sized floor space, the selection is vast and offers probably the largest collection of Singapore pop 33rpm records on the island. It’s best to call ahead and make sure the store will be open when you want to visit, especially on weekdays: the affable Mr. Ong has a day job.

Roxy Disc House

For the past eleven years, brothers Richard and Cheong Wan have sold everything from used vinyl to import CDs. Keep your eyes peeled for vinyl re-issues of seldom seen jazz classics. The many boxes of 45rpm Singapore-pop albums crammed in a corner is one of the largest caches in town. They also offer a record cleaning service for old albums: at $2.50 per record, plus new sleeves and inserts—a bargain!

Hear Records (Burlington Square & Chinatown)

It's a tiny, tightly packed space in unassuming Burlington Square, but we are quite impressed by the range of records here—from oldens but goodens, The Verve, The Jesus and Mary Chain and The Velvet Underground, to current indie acts like Viet Cong, Beirut and Liars. Even sassy pop songstress Meghan Trainor (of this year's All About That Bass) is on the list, for high fidelity purists who abhore music streaming with a vengence. While digging, you're likely to find some pretty fun world music from Africa and India, too. They've expanded with a second store in Chinatown providing the same huge variety as the one in Burlington Square, with the exception that their used titles have been organized alphabetically and according to sections for jazz, blues, compilations and even Japanese artistes. There are regular stock updates on both their Facebook pages (here and here), so be sure to keep tabs if you don't want to miss out on rare gems.

Curated Records

No hipster central is complete without a vinyl record store, which is why we are not too surprised to find one in Tiong Bahru. Here, you can wear your radio-friendly music tastes loud and proud, as the store stocks crowd-pleasing chart-toppers like Mariah Carey, Joss Stone and Calvin Harris. We are also pretty stoked to find names like Yo La Tengo, Ben Folds Five, The White Stripes and Sonic Youth—all essential additions to any indie music lover's collection. Those with hardened ear drums will rejoice knowing that there is hard rock on wax, like Slash, for sale too. The owner, Tremon, is sweet and friendly and will gladly play any record you're curious about. He has recently started bringing in older used records and all the jazz essentials, too.

The Analog Vault

The store at the Esplanade Mall sells vinyl records, books and magazines curated by partners Vinylicious Records, The Arkhivist and Magpie Magazines,  but the highlight has to be their collection of new, pre-loved and rare records with genres ranging from rock, jazz, classical and world, such as The Hunter by American singer-songwriter Jennifer Warnes, a limited-edition red vinyl release of gangsta-jazz moaner Lana Del Rey's Honeymoon and avant-garde wunderkind Bjork (we spied Post, Homogenic and Biophilia). Expect to pay between $25 to $800 for these babies.

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Bored of making loops around your estate? Head for these scenic running routes instead. 

Running could be considered a national pastime, judging from the number of running events mushrooming on the sporting calendar these days. And for good reason, too—you don't need any fancy equipment, just yourself and a good ol' pair of running shoes. Here, we round up 12 running routes around Singapore that are great for clocking some mileage. 

Bedok Reservoir

The 88-hectare park features a 4.3km track that loops around the reservoir, offering joggers scenic views of the waterfront. For nature lovers, the area is home to over 14,000 wetland plants and the lucky few might even spot birds like swallows, little herons and kingfishers. What makes this a great place to run is the variety of dining options along the way, such as Bedok Food Centre and popular bistro Wawawa. 

Changi Beach Park

This coastal park is just 3.3km long. However, you can choose to continue along Changi Coast Road, where you'll get to see airplanes taking off and landing (it's parallel to the airport's landing strip). If you still have fuel left in your tank, you can even race down East Coast Park before calling it a day. 

Coney Island

This leafy off-shore nature sanctuary has a rich ecosystem, with 80 species of birds such as the nationally critically endangered spotted wood owl, rare plants that were thought to be nationally extinct and a free-roaming Brahman bull. The 50-hectare park, located next to Punggol Promenade Nature Walk, has boardwalks that lead through the island's forest, mangroves and to the beach. 

East Coast Park

If you're a seasoned marathon runner, you'll probably be tired of pounding along this 15km track already (the park almost always features in marathon events here). That said, however, it's still favored by many runners—you get to feast your eyes on gorgeous beach scenery, with the sea breeze in your hair. 

Fort Canning Park

This historical park needs no introduction—popular with locals, expats, tourists and concert-goers alike, the many steps leading up to the hilltop reserve at Clemenceau Avenue are great for a pre work-out warm up. And for those who prefer a more challenging run, it's also where you can find steep slopes and uneven paths, all set along a trail of heritage trees

Kallang Riverside Park

Not many people are aware of this, but the footpaths along Kallang River make for great running routes—you'll pass landmarks like the Singapore Flyer and the F1 Pit Building on one side of the river, and the Singapore Indoor Stadium and private estates of Tanjong Rhu on the other. Plus, you'll get to see plenty of dragonboats and kayaks out on the water, especially on weekends. 

Keppel Bay

Check out luxury yachts docked along this posh waterfront precinct. Starting from Labrador Park Reserve, this leisurely route brings you on a straighforward trail along the bay, through the Keppel Bay Bridge and Keppel Island on a track that measures about 3km. 

MacRitchie Reservoir Park

Long a favorite with endurance athletes and weekend warriors alike, MacRitchie offers up to almost 11km of terrain. It's easy to customize your own running route (just be sure not to get lost)—for instance, you can start off on the boardwalk, or head straight for the dirt tracks. Cardio bunnies should try the full 10.6km loop around the reservoir—the undulating trail is tricky and challenging, to say the least—but the immense sense of satisfaction you'll get at the end of your run will be oh so worth it. 

Marina Bay Waterfront

You'll find lots of business folk running along the promenade after work. The (approx) 3.5km route is especially scenic, with landmarks like the Helix Bridge, Marina Bay Sands and the Merlion along the way. If you're looking for extra mileage, you can even run around the nearby Kallang Riverside Park before heading back. 

Punggol Waterway Park

Another leisurely trail for non-competitive joggers, this 12.25-hectare waterfront suburban park is popular with families and cyclists, too. The Punggol Promenade Riverside walk is an ideal spot for a nighttime run, as it has pretty fiber optic features that light up after dark and for early birds, the Sunrise Bridge is where you'll want to be to catch the sunrise. 

Sembawang Park

This neighborhood park is rather picturesque—there's a tranquil, unspoiled beach that's great for swimming. Plus, the Sembawang Park Connector runs along the 4km-long Sungei Sembawang, where you'll get to see an assortment of water birds like kingfishers—it can break up the monotony of a run nicely. 

The Southern Ridges 

Take things up a notch with the 9km-long Southern Ridges trail, which covers Mount Faber Park, Telok Blangah Hill Park, Hort Park, Kent Ridge Park and Labrador Park. Expect lots of steep slopes that will make your calves and quads cry out for mercy—definitely not for the faint of heart. However, you'll get to observe loads of flora and fauna along the way (plus some great views across to Sentosa), if that's any consolation.

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