Plastic Circles continues that interest in music artwork/packaging and can be found at http://plasticcircles.blogspot.com/
You can also follow it at http://twitter.com/PlasticCircles
Showing posts with label Sleeves. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sleeves. Show all posts
09/01/2011
New Blog
Involving the migration of some of the posts from Music Art in the Download Era, there is now my new blog that picks up on the themes here.
Plastic Circles continues that interest in music artwork/packaging and can be found at http://plasticcircles.blogspot.com/
You can also follow it at http://twitter.com/PlasticCircles
Plastic Circles continues that interest in music artwork/packaging and can be found at http://plasticcircles.blogspot.com/
You can also follow it at http://twitter.com/PlasticCircles
16/09/2010
Mosca - 'Tilt Shift'
MP3 Links:
Tilt Shift
Square One EP
Square One VIP
Following on from the last post there was another idea I'd played with involving the QR-Code's aesthetic. This was developed for a forthcoming independent release by Mosca that really doesn't suffer from any issues of utilising supposedly corporate elements. In fact it subverts that idea in an attempt to display an underground artist/producer as a branded commodity complete with a bold logotype.
Other influences for this included a colour reference to Mosca's previous 'Square One' on the excellent Night Slugs label plus a nod to some psychedelic-edged/retro-futurist 'seeping' style that was triggered by the track's often amorphous and percolating structure. But, visually and sonically, that's a very personal interpretation. I dare say that the official release may come with a more literal reference to the tilt shift photography that gives the record its title.
Tilt Shift
Square One EP
Square One VIP
Following on from the last post there was another idea I'd played with involving the QR-Code's aesthetic. This was developed for a forthcoming independent release by Mosca that really doesn't suffer from any issues of utilising supposedly corporate elements. In fact it subverts that idea in an attempt to display an underground artist/producer as a branded commodity complete with a bold logotype.
Other influences for this included a colour reference to Mosca's previous 'Square One' on the excellent Night Slugs label plus a nod to some psychedelic-edged/retro-futurist 'seeping' style that was triggered by the track's often amorphous and percolating structure. But, visually and sonically, that's a very personal interpretation. I dare say that the official release may come with a more literal reference to the tilt shift photography that gives the record its title.
25/08/2010
Underworld - Barking
Underworld's eighth studio album Barking comes out next month. The artwork - presumably by co-conspirators Tomato - is something of a departure. Especially given how their last long-player, Oblivion With Bells, was packaged in a moody looking monochromatic sleeve that appeared directly linked to the Xerox-like typographical montage created for, breakthrough album, Dubnobasswithmyheadman.
This one isn't mentioned on Tomato's site so I'm not sure what the concept is behind it. I've spotted the QR code amongst the chaos [it was also featured on, single, 'Scribble'] so wonder if it's some sort of comment on technology. Although I also think that I can see a black handprint here too - which I suppose would link the collage to Dubnobass...
It's not exactly my favourite Underworld cover ever. (That would probably be the inky one for the still brilliantly named Second Toughest in the Infants.)
Anyway, it's also coming out as a deluxe 10" edition with CD, DVD and a 32 page booklet.
This one isn't mentioned on Tomato's site so I'm not sure what the concept is behind it. I've spotted the QR code amongst the chaos [it was also featured on, single, 'Scribble'] so wonder if it's some sort of comment on technology. Although I also think that I can see a black handprint here too - which I suppose would link the collage to Dubnobass...
It's not exactly my favourite Underworld cover ever. (That would probably be the inky one for the still brilliantly named Second Toughest in the Infants.)
Anyway, it's also coming out as a deluxe 10" edition with CD, DVD and a 32 page booklet.
22/08/2010
Inspiration
I've been looking at a fair few sleeves from R&S, Warp, ECM, 12k, Ghostly and Spekk of late. I've also spent far too much time thinking about Simon Cowell's hair. Only it's a bit weird, isn't it?
19/08/2010
Minimalist album covers
From: Fubiz
Date: 29/07/10
Not sure that these are truly 'minimalist' but they do reduce famous artwork down to a number of particularly stylised elements. A bit of fun really that, like Astrid Stavro's more typographical work [referenced yesterday], makes its point to an audience familiar with the original. Some obviously work better than others although I am currently less entertained by the pastiche-y referencing of popular culture icons as old film posters/vintage Penguin titles/what-have-you than I would have been six months ago. But these do still have a charm.
Date: 29/07/10
Not sure that these are truly 'minimalist' but they do reduce famous artwork down to a number of particularly stylised elements. A bit of fun really that, like Astrid Stavro's more typographical work [referenced yesterday], makes its point to an audience familiar with the original. Some obviously work better than others although I am currently less entertained by the pastiche-y referencing of popular culture icons as old film posters/vintage Penguin titles/what-have-you than I would have been six months ago. But these do still have a charm.
"Dans la continuité de Films Posters, un bel hommage à la musique avec cette série de 20 pochettes d’albums par l’artiste Ty Lettau. Une version minimaliste des grands classiques comme celles de Nirvana, Coldplay, AC/DC ou Radiohead. A découvrir en images dans la suite."
Daydreaming with... James Lavelle
From: Creative Review
Date: 18/08/10
By: Eliza Williams
London-based UNKLE fans are in for a treat next weekend, as the Haunch of Venison gallery hosts a pop-up exhibition celebrating the creative vision of James Lavelle...
Dreaming with... takes place over the UK August bank holiday (August 27-30), and is the first in a series of annual festivals which aim to explore the relationship between music and art. Lavelle (aka UNKLE) is curating this first one, and will bring together works from an extensive list of his collaborators over the years, including Warren Du Preez and Nick Thornton Jones (artwork from UNKLE's latest album Where Did The Night Fall shown top), Jonathan Glazer, Futura, Ben Drury, Kai and Sunny, Oswaldo Macia, Nathan Coley, Simon Birch and Jamie Shovlin. Each artist will create a new artwork inspired by music composed for the project by UNKLE, and the music and art will be combined in the gallery space.
In addition, there will be a screening evening with Lavelle held as part of the festival at the Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester Square on Tuesday, August 31. UNKLE On Screen will feature a selection of UNKLE music videos, including the video for new single The Answer (below), directed by John Hillcoat of The Road fame, and starring Ray Winstone.
There will also be commercials scored by UNKLE shown at the screening as well as the feature film Odyssey in Rome, directed by Alex Grazioli and scored by the band. Following the screening Lavelle will be in conversation with Alex Grazioli and John Hillcoat.
New track The Answer will be released on August 23, to coincide with the exhibition, while UNKLE's new EP, which has provided the inspiration for many of the works that will be on show at Haunch of Venison, will be released on September 13. For more info on the exhibition and screening night, visit daydreamingwith.com.
Date: 18/08/10
By: Eliza Williams
London-based UNKLE fans are in for a treat next weekend, as the Haunch of Venison gallery hosts a pop-up exhibition celebrating the creative vision of James Lavelle...
Dreaming with... takes place over the UK August bank holiday (August 27-30), and is the first in a series of annual festivals which aim to explore the relationship between music and art. Lavelle (aka UNKLE) is curating this first one, and will bring together works from an extensive list of his collaborators over the years, including Warren Du Preez and Nick Thornton Jones (artwork from UNKLE's latest album Where Did The Night Fall shown top), Jonathan Glazer, Futura, Ben Drury, Kai and Sunny, Oswaldo Macia, Nathan Coley, Simon Birch and Jamie Shovlin. Each artist will create a new artwork inspired by music composed for the project by UNKLE, and the music and art will be combined in the gallery space.
In addition, there will be a screening evening with Lavelle held as part of the festival at the Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester Square on Tuesday, August 31. UNKLE On Screen will feature a selection of UNKLE music videos, including the video for new single The Answer (below), directed by John Hillcoat of The Road fame, and starring Ray Winstone.
There will also be commercials scored by UNKLE shown at the screening as well as the feature film Odyssey in Rome, directed by Alex Grazioli and scored by the band. Following the screening Lavelle will be in conversation with Alex Grazioli and John Hillcoat.
New track The Answer will be released on August 23, to coincide with the exhibition, while UNKLE's new EP, which has provided the inspiration for many of the works that will be on show at Haunch of Venison, will be released on September 13. For more info on the exhibition and screening night, visit daydreamingwith.com.
18/08/2010
Mark Ronson - Bang Bang Bang by Big Active
Big Active has completed a huge amount of high profile record sleeves - from Beck to Muse via Basement Jaxx, Goldfrapp, Foals, Snow Patrol and The Enemy. [Their White Lies packaging is also particularly worth noting.]
The recent design for Mark Ronson's 'Bang Bang Bang' appears to be a celebration of record collecting [it's actually taken from upcoming album, 'Record Collection'] and features what appears to be a collage of different sleeves. But all of the artwork is original and each element highlights an individual aspect of the track itself: seperately featuring Ronson plus featured vocalists Q-Tip and Mndr. But - also in tandem with the music - it also references aspects of the 1980s. [The artwork for the next single - 'Bike Song' which is out in September - has also been added.]
While it is interesting that it almost has this trompe l'oeil effect for the vinyl product, as online artwork it becomes even more curious.
The recent design for Mark Ronson's 'Bang Bang Bang' appears to be a celebration of record collecting [it's actually taken from upcoming album, 'Record Collection'] and features what appears to be a collage of different sleeves. But all of the artwork is original and each element highlights an individual aspect of the track itself: seperately featuring Ronson plus featured vocalists Q-Tip and Mndr. But - also in tandem with the music - it also references aspects of the 1980s. [The artwork for the next single - 'Bike Song' which is out in September - has also been added.]
While it is interesting that it almost has this trompe l'oeil effect for the vinyl product, as online artwork it becomes even more curious.
Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers
Text version as part of Astrid Stavro's 'Iconic Albums' series plus the provocative Warhol version and a nice bit of classic music/design ephemera.
16/08/2010
Ehquestionmark interview
From: Bonafide
Date: 08/07 (Issue 1)
Bonafide aims to be a creative resource; to make it as informative as possible, we worked with people characterised by a drive to achieve and who eschewed conservative, safety first PR attitudes. A strong example of this is the interview with design collective Ehquestionmark. Ehquestionmark openly discussed work for Lex, an affiliate of Warp. The Lex imprint has an agenda to release experimental hip-hop and the Lex x Ehquestionmark relationship has blossomed to deliver some of the best music packaging ever seen.
To back this claim, Bonafide presents a synopsis of music artwork identifying four epochs of design. We then move to the main event where we break Ehquestionmark’s cover and get stark answers on their motivation, the design scene and their work for former Organized Konfusion head Prince Po on ‘The Slickness’ LP. [Full article in print version]
Bonafide: Career wise, what path have you taken to get to where you are at now?
Ehquestionmark?: Ehquestionmark is a UK based graphic artists crew comprising of many members, each having their own time-served disciplines, projects and fields of expertise. We’re from various trade backgrounds including a postman, refuse collector and a docker, with varying institutional qualifications, ranging from Grade A plus GCSE Art to a Distinction in MA Graphic Fine Art. Formal qualifications don’t mean shit to us though, it’s the people who have helped form us along the way – we owe a lot to ‘em. Our common binding field of study would be that of typography. Typography is our foundation and something we express a great deal of passion for but a requisite we often don’t fulfill with commercial work – “the title has to be legible”. We’ve our own, self-gratifying, creatively free, non-commercial projects on the go which keeps us happy, working as our individual alter ego’s or within other crews. The work usually takes whatever form suits the conceptual flow, or whatever format the client or we can afford – exhibitions, installations, painting or print. We’ve worked with various bits of time/screen based mediums but print/paint based mediums are our specialty – publications, promotions, wall art, merchandising, packaging and clothing. We’re often referred to as graphic designers or graffiti writers – titles with stereotypes that don’t really appeal to us. We are artists – plain and simple – we aim for change and strive for complete unrestrained creative individualism – and food on the table.
Bonafide: Pete Fowler stated that the CD, in replacing vinyl, sounded the death knell for artwork (for music packaging). Although that statement depends on what perspective you take, the only consistent examples of strong relationships between music and artwork packaging we can come up with are; Peter Saville/Factory Records, and MoWax. In this context, the approach you and Lex take in investing thought into the packaging is unique. Is the idea to push something that makes a strong statement about the label and visually differentiate Lex from the crowd?
Ehquestionmark?: Yeah. Never judge a book by it’s cover though, but it is the first point of call when it sits on a shelf surrounded by other books… and can be downloaded or copied for a fraction of the cost. Put some of that profit back into the packaging and you’ll benefit. We’re constantly battling against the accountants who put so many constraints on us, we haven’t achieved half the things we’ve wanted to do. We don’t really like our own work, to be honest. It’s all relative. Stick a Skoda with a full body-kit in a scrapyard and it’ll look ace.
Bonafide: There is a tangible handcrafted element to each cover. The organic rubbery feel to the Boom Bip sleeve, the embossed Tes cover which looks like a math student has covered it in graph paper and scrawled/rubbed all over it, the cracks and cut out on the Lexoleum cover etc. There is a strong accent on the detail, innovation and quality. Is producing a holistic package and challenging expectations something you enjoy doing?
Ehquestionmark?: Yeah. Stereotypes suck wind so we just aim for a fresh path but there is only so far you can go at being avant-garde before it’s too damn extreme and ‘what the fuck?’… so we do have to hold back with commercial work to make it palatable and tangible. We just love ploughing as much time into our work as possible, obsess over it and it’ll get somewhere eventually. There’s so many cowboys around banging out trash on an hourly rate, it’s hard to justify what we do on an ecological level, sodomising the mother earth and her children in the name of enterfuckingtainment – so we at least put some passion and soul into it. It’s also hard to keep our integrity and stay away from sucking the devils corporate cock. Creating record sleeves is commercial work, we are a part of the capitalist structure, it’s just a means to pay our way, our true goal lies in anti-commodity design, art for art’s sake.
Date: 08/07 (Issue 1)
Bonafide aims to be a creative resource; to make it as informative as possible, we worked with people characterised by a drive to achieve and who eschewed conservative, safety first PR attitudes. A strong example of this is the interview with design collective Ehquestionmark. Ehquestionmark openly discussed work for Lex, an affiliate of Warp. The Lex imprint has an agenda to release experimental hip-hop and the Lex x Ehquestionmark relationship has blossomed to deliver some of the best music packaging ever seen.
To back this claim, Bonafide presents a synopsis of music artwork identifying four epochs of design. We then move to the main event where we break Ehquestionmark’s cover and get stark answers on their motivation, the design scene and their work for former Organized Konfusion head Prince Po on ‘The Slickness’ LP. [Full article in print version]
Bonafide: Career wise, what path have you taken to get to where you are at now?
Ehquestionmark?: Ehquestionmark is a UK based graphic artists crew comprising of many members, each having their own time-served disciplines, projects and fields of expertise. We’re from various trade backgrounds including a postman, refuse collector and a docker, with varying institutional qualifications, ranging from Grade A plus GCSE Art to a Distinction in MA Graphic Fine Art. Formal qualifications don’t mean shit to us though, it’s the people who have helped form us along the way – we owe a lot to ‘em. Our common binding field of study would be that of typography. Typography is our foundation and something we express a great deal of passion for but a requisite we often don’t fulfill with commercial work – “the title has to be legible”. We’ve our own, self-gratifying, creatively free, non-commercial projects on the go which keeps us happy, working as our individual alter ego’s or within other crews. The work usually takes whatever form suits the conceptual flow, or whatever format the client or we can afford – exhibitions, installations, painting or print. We’ve worked with various bits of time/screen based mediums but print/paint based mediums are our specialty – publications, promotions, wall art, merchandising, packaging and clothing. We’re often referred to as graphic designers or graffiti writers – titles with stereotypes that don’t really appeal to us. We are artists – plain and simple – we aim for change and strive for complete unrestrained creative individualism – and food on the table.
Bonafide: Pete Fowler stated that the CD, in replacing vinyl, sounded the death knell for artwork (for music packaging). Although that statement depends on what perspective you take, the only consistent examples of strong relationships between music and artwork packaging we can come up with are; Peter Saville/Factory Records, and MoWax. In this context, the approach you and Lex take in investing thought into the packaging is unique. Is the idea to push something that makes a strong statement about the label and visually differentiate Lex from the crowd?
Ehquestionmark?: Yeah. Never judge a book by it’s cover though, but it is the first point of call when it sits on a shelf surrounded by other books… and can be downloaded or copied for a fraction of the cost. Put some of that profit back into the packaging and you’ll benefit. We’re constantly battling against the accountants who put so many constraints on us, we haven’t achieved half the things we’ve wanted to do. We don’t really like our own work, to be honest. It’s all relative. Stick a Skoda with a full body-kit in a scrapyard and it’ll look ace.
Bonafide: There is a tangible handcrafted element to each cover. The organic rubbery feel to the Boom Bip sleeve, the embossed Tes cover which looks like a math student has covered it in graph paper and scrawled/rubbed all over it, the cracks and cut out on the Lexoleum cover etc. There is a strong accent on the detail, innovation and quality. Is producing a holistic package and challenging expectations something you enjoy doing?
Ehquestionmark?: Yeah. Stereotypes suck wind so we just aim for a fresh path but there is only so far you can go at being avant-garde before it’s too damn extreme and ‘what the fuck?’… so we do have to hold back with commercial work to make it palatable and tangible. We just love ploughing as much time into our work as possible, obsess over it and it’ll get somewhere eventually. There’s so many cowboys around banging out trash on an hourly rate, it’s hard to justify what we do on an ecological level, sodomising the mother earth and her children in the name of enterfuckingtainment – so we at least put some passion and soul into it. It’s also hard to keep our integrity and stay away from sucking the devils corporate cock. Creating record sleeves is commercial work, we are a part of the capitalist structure, it’s just a means to pay our way, our true goal lies in anti-commodity design, art for art’s sake.
Well Deep - 10 Years of Big Dada by Oscar and Ewan
Compilation CD and DVD
Art direction and design
Client - Big Dada Recordings
2008
Big Dada's ten year anniversary compilation CD and DVD. All record releases were collected and exhibited chronologically in a glass vitrine. The museum context brought a grandeur to the cover not usually associated with hip hop. For the inner photography, highlights from the Big Dada catalogue were exhibited in St Bride's exhibition cabinets.
The sleeve was then exhibited in Spin: The Art of Record Design - an exhibition of some of the most iconic cover art of the last four decades selected by GQ Editor Dylan Jones, The Horrors' Faris Rotter and Peter Saville, at The Arts Gallery, University of the Arts London, September 2008
Photographed in St Bride Printing Library
Photography - James Musgrave
http://www.oscarandewan.co.uk/
Art direction and design
Client - Big Dada Recordings
2008
Big Dada's ten year anniversary compilation CD and DVD. All record releases were collected and exhibited chronologically in a glass vitrine. The museum context brought a grandeur to the cover not usually associated with hip hop. For the inner photography, highlights from the Big Dada catalogue were exhibited in St Bride's exhibition cabinets.
The sleeve was then exhibited in Spin: The Art of Record Design - an exhibition of some of the most iconic cover art of the last four decades selected by GQ Editor Dylan Jones, The Horrors' Faris Rotter and Peter Saville, at The Arts Gallery, University of the Arts London, September 2008
Photographed in St Bride Printing Library
Photography - James Musgrave
http://www.oscarandewan.co.uk/
Sketchbooks
I completed a previous music-oriented project by churning out the development work as 12" x 12" prints before binding and slotting into a record sleeve. Today I revisited the idea to create a couple of sketchbooks for this project - albeit while taking inspiration for the book I used as part of the last MA project. There I collected pages from old books while here I've cut up a selection of second-hand record sleeves. I also drilled a hole through the midle so that it emulated the vinyl format but I actually like how this adds continuity should you flick through. Now I just need to fill the things with ideas: i.e. the hard bit.
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