If you thought the age old humble cassette tape was dead then think again. Sales of cassette albums rose 74% in 2016, and now we have the smallest tape player of all time – the Elbow.
In an entertainment world where we have been told for years that the future of music is in downloads and everything online, there is no denying the resurgence of vinyl – 2016 marked a 25 year high for sales of the turntable classic.
2017 could now be about to see a major return of the humble and trusted cassette. Rendered obsolete Sony stopped making its iconic Walkman in 2010, and even the Oxford Dictionary dropped 'cassette player' from concise edition in 2011, but now a movement started by underground musicians has seen prominent artists such as Justin Bieber and Kanye West put out recent releases on cassette.
But whereas the love for the retro cassette is rapidly increasing the need for the bulky players that always posed the treat of chewing the precious tape up are not so welcomed.
That is where the ‘Elbow’ cassette come in.
Elbow strips away most mechanical parts of a traditional bulky cassette player, resulting in a strikingly sleek and minimal and laconic design.
It’s most prominent feature is the biaxial arm. It rotates in two directions – upward motion enables the insertion of a cassette, while sideways motion allows to manually switch playing direction.
Playback is controlled by a single wheel – turning left from the initial position activates the motor and increases volume, turning in the opposite direction fast-forwards the cassette.
The device has two connections: a standard 3.5mm audio plug, and a mini-USB port for charging and transferring audio to a computer. Also, an additional pin can be used to attach player to clothes and other objects, turning your cassette into a unique accessory.
Take a look at the short video below, and for more information please head on over to the official site for the Elbow right here.