More beautiful Ghostly/Spectral work from Michael Cina that picks up from the painterly figurative style of his previous Matthew Dear sleeve. Only this time (for the 100% Silk-affiliated Fort Romeau) the paint adds a gauzy texture to a photograph of a woman by John Klukas with further veiling of the image via a more rigid graphic overlay. Cina pairs this with some sophisticated and carefully arranged type on the reverse. Out 11th March.
Following the dark visual and sonic aesthetic associated with Matthew Dear's Black City long-player, Beams - his upcoming album - has a very different feel. There's a more optimistic approach here that, in terms of both sight and sound, was evident on his 'Headcage EP'. And it has continued through, catchy new single, 'Her Fantasy'.
For the artwork, Michael Cina's use of colour is clearly suggestive of the new direction, but texturally - lacking the smokiness and grittiness of Black City - it also feels more joyful (whether that's applied to his abstract or more figurative imagery). Cina says:
"The Beams project has been the most ambitious music packaging project
that I have worked on to date. It started in November of 2011 and ended
in May of 2012. The full scope involves almost 100 paintings, two of the
paintings being 20 feet long, flying to NYC to be filmed painting a six
foot portrait, another portrait that took two months to paint, a custom
typeface, and countless designs. There will be four singles to come off
this record as well, each requiring new pieces as well."
Released by the US's Ghostly and, in the UK, via the artist's own Notown logo, 'Mountain/Financial District' is the new single by Gold Panda. As with the acclaimed Lucky Shiner long-player, artwork comes courtesy of Andy Gilmore. Out on clear vinyl 7" and (far less fancy) digital.
Gold Panda has described the A-side track as "crowded, synthetic and shiny... repetitive": something that Gilmore appears to have picked up on for the cover image.
More great work from Michael Cina and this time it's for the latest release from Shigeto - a.k.a. Zach Saginaw.
Intensely personal, the front cover for the mini-album features a photo of Saginaw's great-grandfather's house from 1916 in Hiroshima, Japan. The back cover also includes a photo of his great-grandfather, Shigeto Ohmur. This was taken at the Amache Internment Camp in Grenada, Colorado after his family had been transferred from Tule Lake Internment Camp.
Following the attack on Pearl Harbor and the subsequent declaration of war against Japan, many Americans believed that Japanese-American citizens were spies or traitors. Thus, why Saginaw's family members ended up in these camps.
A limited edition screenprinted sleeve will be available from the Ghostly Store at a later date. The digital version plus pre-order for the vinyl will be available on 31st January 2012. Image one is the digital version of the artwork. Images two and three are the vinyl versions.
As well as showing up in end-of-year lists for artwork including his creations for Benoit & Sergio and Peter Wolf Crier, Michael Cina is someone that I repeatedly refer to. He has the ability to shift from the loose, textured and painterly through to the clean and geometric and then there's last month's album from Jacaszek - a design that juxtaposes the two: with the delicate imperfections of gold leaf plus an elegant grid on the reverse.
There's additionally an interview with Cina about this project and its typography at http://rockthatfont.com/
Having already created imaged for Gold Panda and Africa Hitech, Andy Gilmore is perhaps the go-to guy for lovingly-crafted tessellated artwork. He additionally produces complex Spirograph-like images, but it's these more angular works and their tasty colour palettes that have grabbed my attention most. More can be seen at his site: http://crowquills.com/
[By the way, a copy of the Africa Hitech album - which is due out in May - actually arrived the day after I posted this.]
I'm a big fan of Michael Cina's output. But it's evident that the designer is incredibly busy with a whole raft of projects emanating from his Minneapolis base. Which makes me even more grateful that he agreed to answer my annoying four-questions-in-one enquiries.
The work you've produced for Ghostly appears to explore your more abstract side. Are there distinct meanings between these images and what you hear? Are they meant to be obscure enough that they can be read in a number of ways? And who do you have in mind when you create them?
What I have tried to do for Ghostly is to make work that explores my interests, thoughts, and feelings. If work has no content, it is just an image. I have tried to produce something that is timeless and very personal to me.
The trick is, when I am creating this work, it is also for someone else also. So there is a duality that plays in the creation. I consider the music in every cover, but some pieces are tied to the music more than others.
Like all art, the viewer has to come with some interest in "seeing" the work to get anything out of it. With abstract work, you have to be a bit more open and have a willingness to learn.
The process also plays a big part. I explore a lot of ideas and directions for most of the projects. Some of the covers took me over 75 pieces to get to that final one. Very few of the projects have been nailed on the first try. So I really just think about my ideas and also if those ideas work with what I am doing. This is where the design background comes in handy.
How do you feel these images on formats might relate to the idea of providing a physical form for music? How important is it for you to find what you see is the 'right' visual solution for a release? And does it matter to the music? Does it alter the listening experience?
I have been making artwork for a long time and I was tired of the work being reduced to a jpg on a screen. I am not naive by thinking that music packaging is often taken seriously, but that is a shame. Anything that a person does should be done with care and thought. There is too much garbage out there already. My hope is that people will buy the album for the cover, even if they don't like the music or buy it out of curiosity. I have purchased many albums just because of the cover and it does make me think about the music from the context of the cover.
I am a perfectionist, if you don't give me feedback in one day or so, I will keep working in different directions. I have had a couple of projects where I have overwhelmed the musicians with the amount of visual work I show them. Deep down I normally know if it is right or not. If something makes me feel uncomfortable, I know I am almost there.
What are your thoughts about the Matthew Dear 'Totem' as a representation for music?
I really love it. Will Calcutt is a bright guy and a talented artist. Music packaging has to change. I have been pushing the art print aspect at Ghostly since 2008. It is important that people make work that challenges and that is exactly what the totem does. It is a little early for the viewer / audience to wrap their heads around what Ghostly is doing, but the day is coming. The totem is beautiful and serves as a work of art but also has a connection to the album. It isn't just for art's sake.
How do you think the download age changes music artwork? Is it good that we're moving away from artwork not needing to be 'packaging? Or are we potentially losing formats as significant cultural emblems?
The download age for sure changes music artwork. Cover art isn't as important and also is reduced to 100 pixels when sold or viewed most of the time. It makes an argument for more minimal graphics but it also puts the cover as a secondary aspect of the album. In the 70's and 80's the cover was almost as important as the music. I can only guess this is why there is so many bad covers out there now.
I don't see the cover as packaging. I see it more like art that represents what is inside. It should add to the experience. The music that Ghostly releases isn't disposable. They put a lot of thought and care into their artists and what comes out. It is a crime what some designers do to an amazing album of music. It doesn't make me sad to see the shift away from not needing packaging, but without a proper solution, such as prints, we are losing something significant to the music experience.
I only buy music on vinyl unless I am forced to buy another format. I think vinyl has been the only format that has been successful combining visuals and audio. That is why so many people are interested in this format. Until high definition audio comes, there is really no other alternative for me.
What's the approach to formats for the label? Why does having physical media matter when the music can be sent rather easily via iTunes? What legacy do you think there is for specific formats? How important is collectability? And 'a visual manifestation'?
I don't know if I have the liberty to speak for Ghostly, but I do know that there is a lot of skepticism over the CD format and also vinyl, for that matter. Ghostly has been pressing limited vinyl releases with better packaging now. I love this because if I really like an album, sometimes I will buy two copies, just incase. I am a collector though. I have a handful of friends that do the same thing. Some people don't care as much. To me, the CD format is on it's last legs. You can download uncompressed audio and make your own CD if you want.
[Ghostly founder] Sam Valenti is extremely concerned with the visual manifestation of the covers, more than anyone could know. I think he cares about the visuals just as much as the music.
What has been the response to the making available some of the artwork as ltd prints? And do you think it changes the meanings behind the imagery when it is removed from the packaging and the music?
People really seem to respond well to this. I have a couple of people who want all the prints and buy all of them on sight. I don't think that hanging a print on your wall detracts anything. It can only add more aspects if other people like the work and don't know if it is an album cover as well.
Any personally influential music artwork that you think is worth referencing?
Easy ones are almost anything on 4AD, ECM, Factory Records, Blue Note, and a couple of others. I like Hipgnosis, Peter Saville, Vaughn Oliver, and Barney Bubbles. I am attracted to odd art and concepts on covers.
Below is a selection of recent Michael Cina work that I view in much the same way as the ECM sleeves. Although I'll avoid trying to pinpoint what kind of response they are trying to initiate as Michael has agreed to answer a few questions about them. I can hopefully post his responses soon.
Another beautiful release from Ghostly. One thing that strikes me about these kind of releases and their appearance in recent years is that they're as bloggable as they are collectable. The focus on these limited editions may assist with the coverage of the more basic versions and, potentially, luxurious products like this could be a loss leader to aid the marketing of a label's music. Particularly should it lead to the purchasing of downloads where there is barely any cost in terms of manufacture and distribution.
"For Ghostly International’s hundredth release (GI-100), we wanted to commemorate the occasion with something more than music, something bigger, more permanent—a humble monument to our first decade’s work and a gift to our loyal fans. With that in mind, we give you Manzoku: The Ghostly Bento.
The Ghostly Bento was inspired by Japan and its tradition of quality, service, and design—values that Ghostly has always cherished. “Manzoku” is a Japanese word that roughly translates to “satisfaction.” Thus, the Bento is an intimate celebration of satisfaction in multiple forms—tactile, visual, aural—packaged in a handcrafted wooden box, stained and etched with a stunning image by LA artist Dosa Kim.
The Ghostly Bento is extremely limited in quantity (only 50 boxes were made) and handmade by a team of artists, designers, and craftspeople working closely with Ghostly International. Typical Japanese bento boxes pair disparate flavors within one container, and The Ghostly Bento is no different: nestled in the box’s three compartments, one finds a squid-adorned edition of Horizon Line / Ghostly By Night, our era-defining double-disc compilation; a micro-fibre Ghostly tie, featuring Dosa’s design screen-printed by Cyberoptix; and a pair of wooden Ghostly chopsticks.
The result of creative collaboration, meticulous detailing, and old-fashioned hard work, Manzoku: The Ghostly Bento is a ceremonial token of satisfaction—both ours and yours."
Ghostly has to be one of my favourite labels and I referenced Mike Cina's work for the company during my last project. The symbiotic relationship between music and art has proved inspiring and, especially after news of the Matthew Dear 'Totem', I'm really interested to see how they further develop the approach to physical products in the digital age.
Here is another aspect to what the label is doing with the availability of images created as 'packaging' now becoming available as prints alongside digital downloads of the associated music.
The press release:
Visual art has always played an indispensable counterpoint to Ghostly International's musical releases. With this in mind, we've introduced an exciting new addition to The Ghostly Store's repertoire of custom apparel and hand-picked, can't-live-without-'em goods: Ghostly International Editions. Our new art section will feature an ever-growing selection of open-edition and limited-edition prints from Ghostly's renowned family of visual artists, along with work from talented new collaborators.
This spring, The Ghostly Store made its first foray into this field with signed, limited-edition prints by longtime contributor Michael Cina. These archival prints feature artwork from Ghostly releases such as The Sight Below's Glider, the state-of-the-label compilation Horizon Line / Ghostly By Night, and Grand Valley State University New Music Ensemble's Terry Riley: In C.
Looking forward to the months (and years) ahead, Ghostly International Editions will release prints in two perennial formats: the PDL and the Art Print. When the cover art for a new (or back-catalogue) release lends itself to the print format, we'll offer an open-edition PDL (print + download) version. Larger than a CD but smaller than an LP, these 10" x 10" archival prints will be sold with a digital download of the album.
In conjunction with the PDL, Ghostly International Editions will be releasing limited-edition art prints featuring original artwork from collaborators including Michael Cina, Andy Gilmore, Will Calcutt, and many more.
Both the PDL and Art Print are printed using archival ink on photo rag paper and will include artist signed certificates of authenticity. We've carefully considered the pricing for both formats: PDL will be an affordable $25, while the larger, limited-edition art prints will generally cost less than your monthly cellphone bill.
Another video promoting a music release and this one demonstrates how it is possible to cement a campaign well ahead of the 'product' becoming available. Essentially this is pure graphic design with a combined music/visual aesthetic that should serve Matthew Dear well. This imagery also gives his sometimes more 'pop' alias the edge he desires for, new album, Black City [he also records while using other monikers including the tougher, less vocal 'Audion'] . As his website puts it:
Matthew Dear’s Black City can’t be found on any map. It’s a composite, an imaginary metropolis peopled by desperate cases, lovelorn souls, and amoral motives. Like most literary Gothams, Black City is a place to love and hate, as seedy as a nightclub’s back room and as seductive as the promise of power. Matthew Dear, the musician, may live in New York City, but the Matthew Dear of Black City inhabits a sound-world unlike any other: a monument to the shadowy side of urban life that bumps and creaks, shudders and wakes up screaming in the middle of the night. Black City is Matthew Dear’s third album on Ghostly International, and it’s his darkest and most engrossing work to date.
Yet the project also features a further limited edition collectible designed by Boym Partners that investigates a concept central to my own project.
MDBC Totem
Limited Edition of 100
to-tem 1: a) an object serving as the emblem of a family or clan and often as a remainder of its ancestry; also: a usually carved or painted representation of such an object... b) a family or clan identified by a common totemic object. 2: one that serves as an emblem or revered symbol
With Matthew Dear's third studio release, Black City, Ghostly International proudly introduces its newest label release format, the totem. More than a mere limited edition, the totem is a proposal, an entreaty to listeners everywhere to reconsider our relationship to music in the digital era. In producing an object as the embodiment of Black City, Matthew Dear and Ghostly International suggest a new path through which one's physical relationship to an album is again explored.
More information:
"MP3s and digital formats might be convenient and accessible, but sometimes having a physical product—if well-designed, of course—to accompany the music is key."
Taxi: The Global Creative Network
"…now it's time that we make room in our minds for totem to mean something else entirely." XLR8R
"Ghostly is my favourite American record label and the Boyms are my favourite American designers. *And there’s only a hundred of those wacky Boym gizmos, too. That’s what kills me." Bruce Sterling, wired.com
With Matthew Dear's third full-length studio release, Black City, Ghostly International proudly introduces its newest label release format, the totem. More than a mere limited edition, the totem is a proposal, an entreaty to listeners everywhere to reconsider our relationship to music in the digital era. In producing an object as the embodiment of Black City, Matthew Dear and Ghostly International suggest a new path through which one's physical relationship to an album is again explored.
To create Ghostly International's first totem, the company turned to renowned product designers Constantin and Laurene Boym of Boym Partners in New York, recipients of the 2009 National Design Award for Product Design. Widely recognized for their ability to imbue objects with emotional and cultural resonance, the Boym's also have a history of exploring uncharted territory in the world of design. Among their many creations, they have been revered for their "Buildings of Disaster" and "Missing Monuments" series, two ongoing collections which explore the cultural imperative of souvenirs in a postindustrial global economy.
Naturally, they were an ideal choice to task with translating Black City into a three-dimensional object.
The MDBC Totem is both a sculptural representation of the themes explored in Black City and a symbolic conduit to the music itself. Vaguely reminiscent of one of the soot-blackened skyscrapers that might populate Dear's creeping, nameless city, the stacks upon the totem also call to mind the many shaped prongs of a universal power adaptor. In this sense, the totem is not simply a miniature building, but an abstract key to an unknown door. The branding of the totem has been purposefully reduced to its bare essentials—only the letters MDBC and unique alphanumeric suffixes are included—so that the totem's meaning remains discernible only to its beholder.
Each MDBC Totem is inscribed with a unique four-character suffix that will allow users access to a private page on www.matthewdear.com, where Black City may be streamed in its entirely from any web-connected computer, or downloaded. Owners of the totem will also receive an exclusive track, not previously available on the standard album release. Unlike current delivery methods, the totem is a physical format for cloud-based listening, an acknowledgment of two seemingly irreconcilable notions: the need for a tangible representation of music and a future in which music is utterly ethereal.
The MDBC Totem is produced in an edition of 100 units and retails for $125. Each piece has been hand-cast in bonded aluminium with a hand-finished gun metal patina by master-craftsmen in New York City. It is available exclusively at The Ghostly Store.
