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Sound Advice is Banana Block’s very own record store, owned and run by local DJ, producer and avid record collector Marion Hawkes. Marion has been at the centre of the music scene in Belfast for years and co-founded both the female-focused duo GIRL & queer disco Ponyhawk.
Sound Advice is your one stop for vinyl, whether you’re in the market to buy, sell, or discover something new. Explore everything from house, techno, electronic, bass and bass to ambient, leftfield, EBM, wave, rock, pop, indie, funk, soul, disco, jazz, hiphop, world, dub and reggae.
I’ve always been into music as far back as I can remember, listening to my parents’ mixed taste of 80s, new wave, new romantics and soul. In my early teens I started listening to pirate radio and dance music, I saved my pocket money and bought my first deck of decks aged 16 – that was me hooked. Buying records became an obsession, an expensive one at that, but I just see that as an investment in the future. Your record collection is a massive reflection of you.
Sourcing new music is always a massive part of my drive, whether it is for gigs or personal use. I didn’t start DJing until much later but it has given me so many opportunities to connect with people and opened a lot of doors. I wouldn’t be at this point without it.
