Coma - In Technicolor artwork by Siggi Eggertsson

Link: Siggi Eggertsson
Link: Coma
Link: Kompakt

Daphni - JIAOLONG artwork by Jane Eastlight

Link: Jane Eastlight
Link: Caribou

Ever enticing, Dan Snaith now moves on from being known as Manitoba and, more recently, as Caribou to air his Daphni guise for a proper long-player. Coming on double vinyl, CD and digital in October, JIAOLONG demonstrates his dancefloor leanings and features visuals from Jane Eastlight.

After also putting together a video for 'Ye Ye' (the track Snaith submitted for his split single with Four Tet), Eastlight's been developing a hypnotic concept seemingly based around lighting effects and repetition: an apt direction for what is one of this year's most anticipated club-oriented albums.

 

                               

Teengirl Fantasy - Tracer artwork by Kari Altmann

Link: Kari Altmann
Link: R&S 

After collaborating for the 'Portofino' video back in 2009, Kari Altmann has put together the artwork for Teengirl Fantasy's upcoming album. There is seemingly a kinship with the synthetic qualities of Konx-om-Pax's cover for Lone's Galaxy Garden that was released recently on, the same label, R&S. That said, Altmann's work has explored technology-based aesthetics for a considerable amount of time. A particular interest appears to be based around a 'hacker'-like approach with this - of faked, filtered and modified nature - an unsettling yet dream-like visual to accompany the U.S. duo's maximalist electronic output.
  
  

Clark - Iradelphic material visualised by Julian House and The Vikings

Link: Julian House
Link: Ghost Box
Link: Clark
Link: Warp
Link: The Vikings

The latest long-player from Clark was released by Warp this week - complete with artwork from Julian House.

Part of the Intro partnership (where he has created sleeves for the likes of Can, Primal Scream and Oasis), House has additionally been busy with his own Ghost Box label. The imagery for the Iradelphic album appears to touch on the hazy memories triggered by his more recent projects and some of that crackled nostalgia recounts elements found embedded in the words and pictures of The Focus Group and Belbury Poly. The irregular 'Clark' text additionally appears to be related to the type he applied to Broadcast's The Noise Made By People.

With a rather different aesthetic, a film featuring Clark's melancholic 'Black Stone' was additionally released today with direction by The Vikings.

Konx-om-Pax work for Lone

Link: Konx-om-Pax
Link: Lone
Link: R&S Records

A musician in his own right [actually signed to the magnificent Planet Mu], Konx-om-Pax has been busy developing visuals for the R&S-released material from Matt Cutler's Lone project. Culminating in the upcoming Galaxy Garden long-player, he's depicted a pulsating rave universe complete with writhing tentacles. A single, 'Crystal Caverns 1991', is out today while an animated album sampler video augments the project rather nicely.

Lone - Galaxy Garden - Album Trailer (R&S Records) from Konx-om-Pax on Vimeo.

Vulture Music artwork by Ben Roth

Link: Freisprung


Based in Berlin/Tel Aviv, Ben Roth has developed a lovely series of work for lauded French label Vulture Music. Monochromatic yet dream-like, it additionally seems to make full use of the form of the letter 'V' in a number of different ways. However, the cover of the Visitor release does remind me of the imagery for Darkstar's 'Aidy's Girl is a Computer' by Remote Location: what with the dominance of that retro-futuristic monolith. Still, while splitting his time between doing print and video work, I'm keen to see more from him.

Various Production feat. MC Vex - 'Drink It' video by Voyeur

I'm sure there are those really technical people that are less impressed, but I'm in awe of the abstract animations that crop up on Vimeo as unofficial music promos. This may have something to do with my own disastrous attempts to get to grips with Autodesk's 3D Studio Max. Anyway I can now really appreciate the patience that goes into these projects and, when the end result is as compelling and as odd as this one created by Voyeur for the mysterious Various Production, I'm glad that someone else makes the effort.

If you like this kind of esoteric eye candy, perhaps seek out Form + Format's audio generative's motion piece that's set to the Shlohmo remix of Robot Koch's 'Gorom Sen'.

Dubfire visuals by Human Studio

Link: Human Studio

Following the success of Deadmau5, some clubbers probably expect more of a visual experience. Former Deep Dish fella Dubfire delivered this via the project that he commissioned from Nick Bax's Human Studio.

Already having proved popular in 'big room' establishments like The Warehouse Project and Ministry of Sound [plus the SCI+TEC event at Miami's Winter Music Conference], it is additionally available to view via the following link: Dubfire video.

Bloc Weekend promo video

One of the most interesting festivals in my opinion - with a line-up featuring Aphex Twin, Laurent Garnier, Matthew Dear, Modeselektor, Joy Orbison, Mala, Ramadanman and more - the Bloc Weekend also has some nice promo material.

The following video, for example, comes with visuals from David Terranova, a 'Windowlicker'-esque track by Kritical Audio and branding from the always interesting Give Up Art. Essentially it's one of the most exciting adverts for Butlins I've ever seen.

Records as YouTube visuals

While I've been thinking about design for record release info and the connection to audiences of the time, it's also worth bearing in mind how these have become used more recently for uploads on YouTube. Most usually being vinyl rips and therefore being a particularly relevant visual form.

There are loads of examples of this, but here are just a few:

Squarepusher - Shobaleader One - d'Demonstrator

Release out 18/10/10 but, for now, a breakneck, exhilirating taster that's a bit like Daft Punk attempting heavy metal. But more scary than 'Aerodynamic'.

I sort of like how someone who is seen as a vanguard of electronica is perceiving the guitar solo as cutting-edge. But mainly I like it as a video with lights in it.

Squarepusher presents - Shobaleader One - d'Demonstrator from Warp Records on Vimeo.

Work by Shynola

A few years ago, a work project meant that I had to nip down to London to visit the studio of Shynola. The four-strong team had been doing animation work for the likes of Radiohead, Queens of the Stone Age, Lambchop and Unkle [subsequent commissions have included work for Orange, Nike, Playstation, Natwest and Honda].

Anyway, that name-dropping preamble was really to allow me to say that I've always admired the way that they consistently create an unexpected visual representation for a piece of music and, visiting them, it was obvious that music was a major influence. Before we went to a local pub to chat more informally about their output, that work space was being soundtracked by a succession of material: a lot of it then appeared to be stuff from the Domino roster. But it might have just been on that particular day.

The first featured Blur video in this post - while one of Shynola's - additionally features the unmistakable illustrations of David Shrigley. It's a real contrast to the style employed for the second: a video for Lambchop's 'Is A Woman'. Both are great and beautifully paced.

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.

The Record: Contemporary Art and Vinyl

Great reference spotted by Dave. (Cheers!)

The Record: Contemporary Art and Vinyl features work by 41 artists from around the world, from the 1960s to the present, who use vinyl records as subject or medium. The exhibition includes sound work, sculpture, installation, drawing, painting, photography, video and performance.

Artists in the exhibition include Laurie Anderson (1947 USA), Felipe Barbosa (1978 Brazil), David Byrne (1952 Scotland), Janet Cardiff & George Bures Miller (1957 & 1960 Canada)*, William Cordova (1971 Peru), Moyra Davey (1958 Canada), Kevin Ei-ichi deForest (1962 Canada), Jeroen Diepenmaat (1978 Netherlands), Sean Duffy (1966 USA), Yukio Fujimoto (1950 Japan), Jack Goldstein (1945 Canada), Rodney Graham (1949 Canada)*, Harrison Haynes (1973 USA)*, Gregor Hildebrandt (1974 Germany), Satch Hoyt (1957 UK), Jasper Johns (1930 USA), Taiyo Kimura (1970 Japan), Tim Lee (1975 Korea), Ralph Lemon (1952 USA), Christian Marclay (1955 USA), David McConnell (1975 USA), Mingering Mike (1950 USA), Dave Muller (1964 USA), Ujino Muneteru (1964 Japan), Vik Muniz and Carlos da Silva Assunção Filho aka Cafi (1961 & 1950 Brazil)*, Patrick Douthit aka 9th Wonder (1975 USA)*, DJ Rekha (1971 UK)*, Robin Rhode (1976 South Africa), Dario Robleto (1972 USA), Ed Ruscha (1937 USA), Malick Sidibé (1935 Mali), Xaviera Simmons (1974 USA), Mark Soo (1977 Singapore), Meredyth Sparks (1972 USA), Su-Mei Tse (1973 Luxembourg), Fatimah Tuggar (1967 Nigeria), Alice Wagner (1974 Peru), Carrie Mae Weems (1953 USA), and Lyota Yagi (1980 Japan).

The accompanying Cover to Cover installation features 10 artists and musicians who each curated a crate of 20 albums that tell a story through the cover visuals. Visitors will peruse the crates and with headphones listen to records on record players.

M.I.A. 'XXXO' video teaser

More subversion of formats/media with this teaser for the latest M.I.A. video [a project that turns out to be collaborative effort between Hype Williams, Aaron Platt and the vocalist].

The finished video itself is a bit disappointing by comparison and is built around the kind of ironic twinkling imagery that you can usually find being added as gifs to the MySpace pages of the visually illiterate combined with some knowingly cheesy approximation of cheap Middle Eastern graphics. This, however, is one simple idea that's executed well with a real understanding of where music promotion is now. The technique does make a fairly brief appearance in the full promo although you can't see it having the same edge when viewed on MTV.

Theodore Watson - Spinning Vinyl iPhone app

Arcade Fire's Synchronised Artwork

From: CR Blog (and forwarded by Amy)
Date: 11/08/10


Back in 2007, director Vincent Morisset reinvented the music video online, with his interactive promo for Arcade Fire track Neon Bible. For the band's latest album, The Suburbs, Morisset has now turned his attention to how digital music files could be more visually exciting...

Morisset has worked with designer Caroline Robert to create a digital artwork that appears when the album is played on mp3 players like the iPod or iPhone. The work deliberately echoes the pleasures of old vinyl record sleeves, where the song lyrics were often written out in full. Each track on the album has an individual image that appears on the iPod screen when it is played, with the lyrics of the song then appearing on the screen as they are sung.

"Win [Butler, Arcade Fire's lead singer], wanted to create a version of the artwork that would be relevant in the digital world," explains Morisset on his website. "Most of us now buy, share and listen to music through computers and portable devices. It seems absurd that it is still a single jpg that is attached to an album in 2010."

"I thought about the relation we have with the vinyl cardboard cover or the paper booklet while listening to the songs. Flipping through the lyrics, looking at a band picture or a cool drawing related to a song while listening to it. With the mp3 player, we lost that. I wanted to find a way to get closer to that experience again."

As with his Neon Bible video, part of the success of the Synchronised Artwork is its simplicity. Explaining how it works, Morisset says, "Tightly sync a series of images with specific moments in a song using the m4a format. Like some podcasters do, but with micro chapters for each line of the lyrics. In addition to that, we were able to add good old hyperlinks also synchonised to the song. This gives the possiblity for the band to add, at any moment, all kinds of references related to each song. They plan to change and update those links occasionally."

The handwritten presentation of the lyrics on the screen works perfectly with the artwork that Caroline Robert designed for the album, which includes photographs shot by Gabriel Jones in the suburbs of Houston. To experience the Synchronised Artwork for yourself, head online to arcadefire.com, where it is included with the purchase of any digital download of the album.

Niklas Roy & Jari Suominen - Laser Cut Phono Record

"We used a vector program to draw the record. With different line colours, we could modulate the laser’s intensity. We also experimented with different depths of the groove within one loop (track 6). Track 2 was something like a random noise experiment where the needle would jump in a different way over the grooves, each time the track is played. So every track has a different idea."

(Excellent use of Youtube as an interactive device too.)

This wouldn't have happened on iTunes

Both Dave and I spotted this on the CR Blog yesterday: a Soho record store dumped a load of vinyl in a skip. Subsequently this prompted one of the biggest bargain bins the Capital has seen.

However, I watched the video and felt a little bit sad. Firstly because all of that specialist jazz and classical music was thrown-out so unceremoniously [due to the shop itself undergoing a refurbishment]. I'm sure that another retailer or a committed collector could have offered it all a more appropriate home. Plus vinyl can also be recycled. But the thing that really got me was how undiscerning the crowd appears to be. Sure, some people appear to be sifting through it as if they're looking for something specific, but generally it feels like a bit of a melee where the material is grabbed with little discrimination. It smacks of its desirability being dictated by vinyl's assumed collectability rather than any need to hear the music itself.

Daft Punk's Daft Card

I previously wrote an essay about Daft Punk's use of visual forms. Specifically it dealt with the representation of man as a robot. And I do really like how the duo creates high-profile work while playing around with notions of anonymity: sometimes I enjoy how it works conceptually more than what they do musically.

While the French twosome has consistently dabbled outside of traditional music formats with everything from animated films to coffee tables via a Gap commercial, I was always impressed by the 'Daft Card' that came with copies of, second album, Discovery. This gained entry to 'Daft Club': an online resource that allowed for the download of bonus material including extra tracks and remixes. It is telling that this was devised in 2001 as, the first available track, 'Ouverture' begins with the stupid electronic noise of a dial-up connection and remains a testament to the technology of the time [this content has since been released seperately as 'Daft Club', by the way].

The use of the credit card as a physical form also lends itself to discussion regarding the commodification of music yet - let's face it - it was still a handy little object that also fitted neatly into your wallet.