There is a new reason to dust off your cassette collection. We Are Rewind has teamed up with synthwave duo The Midnight on a limited-edition WE-001 portable cassette player, pairing a blue-and-purple design with a Purple Swirl cassette edition of the band’s album Syndicate.
The bundle is due to go on sale directly through We Are Rewind on 1 October 2026, priced at US$199, £159 or €179. Malaysian pricing and local retail availability have not been announced.
Retro looks, with Bluetooth for your current headphones
The design leans into The Midnight’s neon aesthetic, with the player’s round cassette window reworked into a striped sunset motif. It is a fitting match for an artist collaboration built around the look and sound of the 1980s.
You do not need to track down vintage headphones to use it, though. Bluetooth 5.1 lets the WE-001 send audio to compatible wireless headphones and speakers, while a 3.5mm headphone output keeps wired listening an option. We Are Rewind cautions that the Bluetooth connection is not compatible with in-ear earbuds. A built-in rechargeable battery is rated for approximately 10 to 12 hours of playback.
You can make mixtapes, too
Alongside playback and forward and rewind controls, the player supports line-in recording. That gives it a practical use beyond playing the bundled album: you can record your own mixtapes from a compatible audio source. The release also lists an upgraded frequency response of 30Hz to 14,500Hz, within ±3dB.
The appeal here is the hands-on ritual of choosing a tape and pressing play, with wireless listening available when you want it. The Syndicate cassette means the bundle also comes with something to play straight away.
Price and availability
We Are Rewind says The Midnight edition will be sold through its official online store from 1 October. The US$199, £159 and €179 prices cover the player and Purple Swirl edition of Syndicate. The company has not disclosed the size of the limited run. Malaysia appears in the store’s country selector, but there is no local retail price, so buyers should confirm shipping availability and the final checkout cost before ordering.
