the hideousness of contemporary record artwork

[version]

Are there even name record designers anymore like Hipgnosis and Peter Saville and Malcolm Garrett of yore?

Robert Beatty and David Rudnick are the only two that come mind. They've both done stuff for 0pn.

 

[gremino]

Artists are now encouraged to release singles consistently to fit for listeners' endless feed. No need to have super good artwork, as long as you're releasing often and consistently. This makes it better at succeeding in social media as well, as the algorithm rewards posting often and consistently. Music is seen as content now.

But I believe there will be counter-culture born eventually.

 

[blissblogger]

Robert Beatty and David Rudnick are the only two that come mind. They've both done stuff for 0pn.

Ah, nice one. I like that Robert Beatty image up at the Wiki. David Rudnick rings a faint bell but it also sounds like the name of an artist or critic so it might be a trick of association.

One area where record design seems to be at a premium still is the hauntology genre - Julian House does great designs at Ghost Box (as well as professionally through the design company Intro that's he part of), but there are other labels in that zone that have cool looking packaging.

Admittedly there is a standardized H-ology look but I'm still a sucker for it e.g. third-wave H outfits like Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan.

Probably there are still some cool things going on design-wise but mostly in those very niche micro-genres.

Possibly reissue labels as well - where it would work to give impetus to get some middle aged bloke to shell out 30 or 40 quid for a vinyl slab.

 

[blissblogger]

Surprised by this because of the history of great looking Sonic Youth records. It's mainly the font really. The blurry color shapes are fine.

 

[blissblogger]

 

[thirdform]

Never had to care about this, what with being blind. So when people chart the degradation of a genre via its artwork I'm totally mystified.

 

[blissblogger]

 

[william_kent]

this could have been good

the background is like one of @Clinamenic's tessellations

and I like the space age font

but the low effort tie dye head ruins it



Nolla - Surusana

tune probably belongs in the motorik thread

 

[blissblogger]

 

[blissblogger]

this could have been good

the background is like one of @Clinamenic's tessellations

and I like the space age font

but the low effort tie dye head ruins it



Nolla - Surusana

tune probably belongs in the motorik thread

Yeah I like that font - I mean, it feels like something I'd seen before, variations of the same idea, but it still gives a retrofuture tingle

I have to say, this is an area in which I don't have the same level of confidence in my opinions as I do with music. Like if someone better informed was to say "you fucking idiot that cover is genius" I would say "oh... okay".

 

[blissblogger]

 

[blissblogger]

 

[blissblogger]

 

[william_kent]

Yeah I like that font - I mean, it feels like something I'd seen before, variations of the same idea, but it still gives a retrofuture tingle

I have to say, this is an area in which I don't have the same level of confidence in my opinions as I do with music. Like if someone better informed was to say "you fucking idiot that cover is genius" I would say "oh... okay".

no, your instinct is correct, the cover does the music no justice

edit: trying to be polite in case I ever meet the artist

 

[blissblogger]

 

[blissblogger]

 

[Corpsey]

can't believe this is what simon blesses us with

it's like god raining down m&ms from heaven. they are nice but where's the fois gras.

 

[blissblogger]

 

[Corpsey]

are you sad that music's over simon?

 

[william_kent]

I blame Goldsmiths and M.I.A, explicitly

album art went downhill after she showed you could get away with bad PC glitches