Duran Duran Goes Analog Again: Inside the WE-001 Pop Trash Special Edition

By DaMarko Webster

In a move that feels both retro-futuristic and deeply aligned with the band’s visual legacy, We Are Rewind unveils its most glamorous collaboration yet: the WE-001 Duran Duran Special Edition, an exclusive cassette player honoring one of pop culture’s most enduring icons. Designed with the band’s signature chrome, shimmer, and hyper-stylish aesthetic, the release arrives with a full cassette reissue of Duran Duran’s cult-favorite album Pop Trash.

But this isn’t just a nostalgic throwback—it’s a piece of functional art, merging analog romance with 2025-grade audio engineering. The aluminium body gleams with that unmistakable Duran Duran sheen, while inside, a custom hi-fi headphone amplifier and modern playback components elevate what fans remember from the Walkman generation. Bluetooth capability allows listeners to pair seamlessly with wireless headphones and speakers, and a USB-C rechargeable battery offers a clean 12 hours of uninterrupted sound. In true fashion-forward flair, We Are Rewind even sells a dedicated belt clip—turning your cassette player into a wearable statement piece.

For the band’s longtime creative art director Andrew Day, the collaboration feels poetically full-circle.

“When Pop Trash was originally released, the internet was in its infancy and streaming really wasn’t a thing. Who knew that 25 years later, a cassette player would be a fitting way to celebrate its anniversary? The team at We Are Rewind bent over backwards to make sure this collaboration was a truly fitting one. The result is something that’s a lot more ‘Pop,’ and a lot less ‘Trash.’ Over the moon and back with the result—and I’m pretty sure Liberace would approve.”

The nostalgia is real—but so is the intentionality. We Are Rewind Founder and CEO Romain Boudruche emphasizes the band’s deep connection to physical media and stylized self-presentation:

“Duran Duran always had a look, a sense of style and control of how they looked and how they sounded, and their association with cassettes is clear. We’re delighted to work with the band and help music fans reconnect with the value of music and physical media in an age of streaming.”

It’s a collaboration that doesn’t simply revisit the past—it reimagines it through a premium, tactile, design-driven lens. For longtime fans, young collectors, and analog romantics, the WE-001 Special Edition is a reminder that the physical music experience still has texture, depth, and soul.