The Big Pink - Tapes

A format proposal for the Tapes compilation put together by The Big Pink for the K7 label. This takes 'Tapes' to its most literal conclusion yet it also uses the unplayable format to highlight how the majority of the compiled music doesn't even exist in a physical form. The package also attempts to create intrigue by secreting the information (download links, sleeve notes, etc) inside the spool-less cassette. The opening of the case with the supplied screwdriver forces the purchaser to invest effort and time into the download process culminating in a forced ritual aiming to heighten anticipation.

External text is laser-etched on card and internal text is printed on lightweight tracing paper. Initially there was a suggestion of incorporating a 'euro hole' for hanging the card as "product" but, later, it was felt that a more minimal approach captured some of the eeriness of the 'haunted' hypnotic tracks selected by The Big Pink's Milo Cordell. A key influence in the use of restrained aesthetic was Cordell's description of it as "the sound of America slowly dying" so, like some of the other deliverables for this semester's project, it tries to communicate a sense of 'the memorial'.


*Additional note: I should have mentioned that the dimensions of the pack was determined by the kind of media mail packaging that amazon uses for DVDs, books, etc. The hand-in will be presented in one of these. The additional layer is not just to post the item: it relates to Tal Brosh's comments about opening an item which, of course, influenced the deliverable itself.