Analog music still has a strange appeal, and vinyl is now joined by another resurgent physical format. “The cassette is a secret language between us who are interested in magic and romance,” says Kristian Kallevik.
/ 20/05/2019 / Kristian DugstadIn the Tiger record store on Hammersborggata in Oslo, Kristian Kallevik proudly talks about his newly purchased cassette player. It's a spotless Denon DRM-700 from the early 90s that plays music in the small shop, right across the street from Sentrum Scene.
– I found a guy on the internet who runs a kind of secret business, where he rehabilitates vintage cassette players. He had a house full of technology, but it was clear that the cassette was his passion. And with a proper player, these sound fantastic. The analog warmth is something many people are looking for. Plus, they are beautiful, says Kallevik.
They are not alone in finding beauty in the cassette, a secret cassette player restorer and Kallevik. The heyday of physical formats may be a saga blue, but despite the hegemony of streaming services, tangible music media has managed to cling on.
The revitalization of vinyl has long been a fact, and 9,7 million records were sold in the United States in 2018. But who would have thought that records would be joined by the music cassette?
It's actually true – In parts of the world, cassettes are rapidly emerging from oblivion. In the US, music cassette sales increased by 23 percent in 2018. According to research from Nielsen Music, nearly 219,000 cassettes were sold in the States last year. In the UK, sales have grown from 22,000 units in 2017 to over 50,000 in 2018. An increase of 125 percent.
At Tiger, Kristian Kallevik showcases what he calls the "fairy tale corner." Among the decorative items, selected vinyl, a carrier net, books, and a sun hat, there are a couple dozen music cassettes on display. Nothing is vintage, everything is modern releases.
– There is always a story behind it. Those who choose to release music on cassette are artists who are concerned with a holistic aesthetic. They don't just think about the musical expression, but also the visual. The cassette sends out subtle cultural signals, which can be picked up. It is a beacon for the right people, says Kallevik.
The cassette fever is not raging in Norway, as it is in the US and UK. Figures from NCB, the company that licenses physical releases for TONO, show that cassette production peaked in 2016. Almost 8000 cassettes were produced in the entire Nordic region. We don't know how many of these were sold. In 2018, the number dropped to just under 5000 cassettes, but this doesn't bother Kristian Kallevik.
– One of the great things about cassettes is that you can produce limited editions. They don't have a minimum run of hundreds of copies, like CDs and vinyl. You can make as few as 20 or 30 copies, if you want.
Tiger was established in central Oslo in 1996. From the basement of the store, Kallevik runs both the record label Fysisk Format and the distribution company Diger Distro. The goal has always been to have a hand in the music game, without playing.
– Ever since I was little, I have had a strong feeling that music is meaningful. In my youth, it was a medium of truth, while I often felt that the rest of society was built on lies and fantasy. I am not musical at all, so I have had to find other ways to participate in music.
It's probably no surprise that Kallevik's distribution company, Diger Distro, also produces cassettes, in addition to CDs and Vinyl. For Kallevik, the physical formats are about preserving the mysterious aura of music.
– For me, the unexpected, unpredictable, mysterious and magical about music is absolutely essential. Everything that is put on a streaming service can be measured, weighed and compared to everything else. The most interesting measurement is the quality of the experience the music gives you, I think. That's why these old formats are a beautiful thing. They emphasize the emotions associated with the music, rather than the rational and measurable.
Among the cassettes in the adventure corner in Tiger, there are many kinds of visual expressions. Some covers are simple reworkings of the CD or Vinyl design. Others have punched, folded cardboard wrappers with silkscreen printing. One cassette is made of gold-colored plastic.
– For us, the cassettes represent a rare instance of magic in today's otherwise rationalized music world. I think the cassettes are a secret sign, a secret language between us who are more concerned with magic and romance than documentable effect.
The Golden Cassette tends to make a deep impression on children, says Kallevik. And it's not hard to understand. Even without having heard the music, it has a tremendous appeal, even for an adult. It is, as Kristian would say, simply beautiful.
– If you become more curious about the music because it is on cassette, then the artist has succeeded. It is cred you make a living as an artist. No matter how big you are, you depend on credibility and integrity. So I would say that the biggest artists today would benefit from releasing on cassette – To reach a different audience.
