The ownership of rare tapes reaches higher levels of coolness than streaming services do. Owning a tape that only 33 people have ever heard? Cooler.
1. Chuck Person’s Eccojams Vol. 1 (2010) The tape known as Eccojams Vol. 1 brought forth vaporwave music through its release under an alias by Oneohtrix Point Never under Daniel Lopatin. The artist took softened rock and R&B loops before transforming them into dreamlike slow-motion soundscapes.
The production run reached 100 units and these tapes now reside in display cases or specialized containers with velvet linings.
Why it’s obscure: Lo-fi loops, lo-fi release, cult-level status.
2. Bow Wow Wow – Your Cassette Pet (1980)
In the vinyl-focused musical landscape of the 1980s Bow Wow Wow made the bold choice to release their EP exclusively as cassettes.
Their song C30, C60, C90, Go! The band performed a complete dive into tape-based musical culture. The cassette contained a hidden instrumental track beyond the listed contents.
Why it’s obscure: No vinyl, no CD, cassette or nothing.
3. Godspeed You! Black Emperor – All Lights Fucked on the Hairy Amp Drooling (1994)
Yes, that’s the actual title. The early GY!BE demo became a mythical artifact when it was released in only 33 cassette copies until Bandcamp made it available in 2022.
The audio artifact received widespread discussion in post-rock forums until it established itself as an elusive musical artifact.
Why it’s obscure: Only 33 humans (maybe aliens?) had it for nearly 30 years.
4. Rolo Tomassi – 4 Track Cassette (2005)
Rolo Tomassi released their cassette product through 200 individually crafted copies. Some were in cloth pouches. Others came stapled inside brown paper sleeves with buttons.
A zine-filled basement gig merchandise collection would typically contain this item alongside a VHS recording of a family member's band performing in 4:3 aspect ratio.
Why it’s obscure: DIY ethos turned up to 11, no two copies quite the same.
5. Various Artists – Pizza Glitter Tapes (Ongoing)
The indie label Strange Daisy alongside others now create cassette packages that exceed expectations through their use of glitter shells and pizza-themed artwork and holographic cases while producing limited runs of 25–50 copies.
The music items function as collectibles that appeal to fans who desire their musical content to resemble a Lisa Frank trapper keeper.
Why it’s obscure: Limited runs + absurdly specific aesthetic = instant cult status.
Can You Even Play These?
That’s where the A2D2 Stream comes in.
You can definitely play them on your tape decks. However, with A2D2 Stream- an analogue to digital streaming device- you can connect your tape deck to stream audio wirelessly through Bluetooth or Wi-Fi speakers without needing an old-school receiver.
The wireless setup makes it possible to be a tape enthusiast while enjoying wireless technology.
Check out A2D2 Stream because your Walkman doesn’t do Bluetooth.
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Explore our related blog: “How to Make a Mixtape in 2025 (Yes, Really)”
Read: The Patina of Sound: When Analogue Meets Digital