Massive power, every format: the BB-777 brings back a boombox icon

It was arguably the moment the boombox peaked: the GF-909/GF-777 from Sharp boasted dual cassettes, radio, and massive sound. Now, Bumpboxx has decided to reboot that boom box for 2026, with a modern machine that can do everything — CDs, tapes, radio, USB, Bluetooth connectivity, the works. It could be a holy grail across every generation burned out on soulless streaming and ready to love music all over again.

Worlds of sound from hacked hard drives, piano-triggered modular

NYC-based Purplish Records releases music on cassette in batches, and this double release is a serious gem. Ipek Eginli creates a magical cloud world of prepared piano interconnected with modular synths, as Jad Atoui transforms discarded hard drives into mechanical compositional machines.

Peter Kirn - February 7, 2025

Mid-1980s GE and Maxell cassette player advertising was next-level

In a post-apocalyptic dystopian nightmare, handsome models will find the oppression with their … GE cassette players. Look, it all makes some kind of 1985 sense. This is exactly how people do not feel about their smartphone in 2024. I don’t know exactly what the GE marketing department was doing in the mid-80s – let’s […]

Peter Kirn - May 6, 2024

Maxell would like you to know that they still make audio cassette tapes

Peter Kirn - September 25, 2023

Unlocking unimaginable sounds with the BBC Radiophonic Workshop

Peter Kirn - June 5, 2017

Listen to some gorgeous ambient music coming out on tapes

Peter Kirn - May 31, 2017

Step inside the mystical sound world of Circular Ruins

Peter Kirn - March 22, 2017

STEREO FIELD is a beautiful touchplate instrument and controller

Peter Kirn - March 2, 2017

Look inside the world of cassette tape culture in this short film

Peter Kirn - December 1, 2016