Dust Off Your Walkmans: Cassette Store Day Returns In October

The third annual Cassette Store Day will be held around the world this October and, for the first time, Australian and New Zealand-based companies are getting involved with the yearly celebration of the world's objectively least convenient audio format.

Aussie label Rice Is Nice Records, Kiwi contemporary Arch Hill and fellow first-timer Mansions & Millions, of Germany, join event founders Kissability, Suplex Cassettes and Sexbeats as primary flag-bearers for this year's Cassette Store Day, the charge for which has historically been led by the US-based Burger Records.

While it might seem easy to dismiss cassettes as a relic of a time long forgotten, when pencils were instrumental accessories to carry for any weary tape reel, there's no denying that — despite their physical shortcomings — the sentimental strength that comes from their ability to bring people together through maintaining the mythos of the mixtape, not to mention their importance in the history of DIY ethos in an era of digital coldness equates to the aural equivalent of a welcome and warm embrace from an endearingly clunky old friend.

"Cassette tapes aren't just a format; they're a culture," Jen Long, a former BBC announcer and co-founder of Kissability, explained, "and cassette culture is as much about collaboration as doing it yourself."

"This year, we've gone even further to try and include as many tape fans around the world. We want as many people as possible to be able to get involved and put out a tape, put on a gig or event, or get hold of that release they really want."

Aussie shops, labels and event organisers that wish to be a part of this year's Cassette Store Day are able to apply for free (aside from a $5 admin fee to list official releases) via Rice Is Nice from 11 July through till 1 September. This year, releases will be available online on the day itself, rather than the following week, as with previous years, in order to widen the playing field even further for indie labels to get involved.

"While we still want as many stores as possible involved, we felt there was too much burden on understaffed shops to order from the release list, and smaller labels were being left out," Long said. 

"We also felt that fans in more remote areas were excluded from the celebrations if they didn't have a store in their area. Hopefully, this way, we can include everyone for the best Cassette Store Day yet."

Cassette Store Day 2015 will be held on 17 October. For more information, see Rice Is Nice or Cassette Store Day's websites.