Electronica

Album: Lunatic Harness
Artist: µ-Ziq
Design Studio: Blue Source

The hardest part about having a name like µ-Ziq is asking someone at the record shop if they have them in stock. Also where do you file it under M, under U or with the numbers?

Album: Under Giant Trees
Artist: Efterklang
Cover Artist: Nan Na Hvass
Design Studio: Hvass & Hannibal

I came across this album cover for ‘Efterklang’s’ mini-album ‘Under Giant Trees’ in the latest Communication Arts - Design Annual, a design publication that always publishes amazing and inspiring work, and this beautiful cover was a standout for me. So instead of me waffling on about it like a clueless idiot, i thought i’d let […]

Album: Appendix
Artist: Funkstörung
Design Studio: The Purple Haze

The final album for Funkstörung features their most subdued cover. Funny, this is how I imagined all the Funkstörung covers to be. Although having since checked them out this is not the case In fact none feature clean vector artwork at all. I guess their music made me think of minimal design and the fact […]

Album: Kala
Artist: M.I.A.
Cover Artist: Cassette Playa, Steve Loveridge

Although M.I.A.’s music can easily stand on it’s own, it’s the artwork which really completes the picture. A collage of bright colours, retro patterns and heavily pixelated type can be found in a variety of media, from her music videos, website and fashion to the visuals at her live performances.

Album: Pocket Symphony
Artist: Air
Cover Artist: Lili Fleury, Laurent Pinon, Xavier Veilhan

I initially thought these were life size. It’s only after studying it closely do you realize the small statues are standing on a dinner tray. The duo always feature themselves on the covers and this is probably the most elaborate way they have done it to date.

Album: Push the Button
Artist: Money Mark
Cover Artist: Ben Dury

Another album from my CD buying days. It’s like the control room in a James Bond (circa Sean Connery days) villan’s secret base. This album is an eclectic mix of sounds and it still sounds good today. Unlike his latest album which is a album filled with mellow sounding rubbish.

Album: Remixed Series
Artist: Verve
Cover Artist: Rick Guest, Hollis King, David Ellis
Design Studio: Graphic Theory

I’ve seen this around for years and I always thought it was “The Verve” remixed. Now I find it’s actually Jazz remixed I’m interested. Verve records has a good amount of info & media on the series here.
What makes this series stand out for me is the strong concept behind it. Each new cover is […]

Album: The Altogether
Artist: Orbital
Design Studio: Farrow

It’s interesting that what a band wears during their live gigs becomes a trademark. I guess Kiss worked this way too.
This cover which features two skulls (Paul and Phil Hartnoll actual X-rays) wearing headlights in a Skull & Cross bones design feels like a metal cover and not the usual slick imagery we see […]

Album: Oblivion With Bells
Artist: Underworld
Design Studio: Tomato

It’s Underworld’s fifth studio album (to be released Oct 3 2007) and it looks like Tomato have gone back to a familiar style. In fact it looks like they just combined their first two album cover styles together.

I know ripped at the 100 Days Off album but I did like it. That like all previous […]

Album: Chemistry is What We Are
Artist: Simian
Cover Artist: Thomas Grunfeld, Mat Maitland
Design Studio: Big Active

What I love about this cover is how the identity was carried across throughout all the other releases. They are dark yet appealing at the same time. Like a twisted kids fairy tale. All credit to Thomas Grunfeld who created the original creatures featured on the cover. They are from his series called Misfits which […]