Secret 7 artwork by Josiah Craven

Link: Josiah Craven
Link: Secret 7

This year's outstanding Secret 7 project featured contributions from Yoko Ono, Peter Blake, David Shrigley, Paul Smith and Erik Spiekermann alongside Plastic Circles favourites including Give Up Art, Optigram, La Boca and HORT. However, the initiative has also historically acted as a great showcase of upcoming talent.

One such fresh creative is Josiah Craven - a student on Leeds College of Art's BA (Hons) Graphic Design course - who managed to sneak seven of his artworks included within Secret 7's recent exhibition at Somerset House. That's one for every included track. Working as a set while also reflecting qualities particular to the individual records, his 7" single designs couple type-based constructions with art-directed photographic elements to culminate in a series of contemporary music/design artefacts. Sold off in aid of the Nordoff Robbins charity, the set has since been split but have been collected here for posterity.

Jlin - Dark Energy artwork by Spencer Shakespeare and Fabian Harb

Link: Planet Mu
Link: Knives
Link: Dinamo

With A&R and art direction by Spencer Shakespeare's and Jamie 'Kuedo' Teasdale's KNIVES imprint/creative agency (although unleashed via the always forward-thinking Planet Mu), Jlin's Dark Energy long-player takes both footwork and record artwork seriously. The finished package also benefits from sizeable input from Fabian Harb of, type foundry, Dinamo and effectively will whet appetites for what's to come from a new type of collaborative practice. 

As Teasdale notes in an interview with FACT: 

"From the outset, we both knew that the label had to offer something individual in terms of validating its existence. Due to our collective interests and backgrounds, we also knew that this would somehow encompass visual art, graphic design and a collaborative working process."

Michael and Mattis - 'Hoes Before Bros' artwork by Cordova-Canillas

Link: Cordova-Canillas
Link: Hivern Discs

Debut Michael and Mattis EP for the Hivern label comes with a sleeve art directed by Barcelona's Cordova-Canillas. A great project in its own right but even more impressive when you see how this artwork for the NewYork/Oslo duo is within the context of a broad yet cohesive portfolio that also includes some great editorial, digital and photography work.

Marc Romboy and Ken Ishii - 'Taiyo' artwork by Hort

Link: Hort 
Link: Systematic Recordings

It may signify a collaboration between two techno heavyweights, but Hort's artwork for Marc Romboy and Ken Ishii avoids all the machine-based visual cliches in favour of something more sensual. The release, on Systematic Recordings, comes with a poster/print that also offsets a stark yellow and black text area with more detailed black and white photography.

Jessie Ware art direction by Kate Moross

Link: Studio Moross
Link: Jessie Ware

Those people thinking that they have the measure of designer Kate Moross after encountering her earliest illustrated text, day-glo colour palettes and geometric patterns might be surprised by her restrained art direction for, singer, Jessie Ware. But then - from Simian Mobile Disco's recurring circle motifs to the art deco aesthetic she devised for Fenech-Soler - Moross is far from being a one trick pony.

This latest campaign (including the singles that preceded, album, Devotion) has been typified by an elegant, balanced approach with some lovely detailing. Meanwhile the creative's playfulness has been demonstrated in new, innovative ways: including the interactive billboard that, while undoubtedly fun, still managed to stay true to Ware's sophisticated image.

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.

Hubro releases by Yokoland

Link: Hubro
Link: Yokoland
Link: Grappa Musikkforlag


I first spotted the releases of Norway's Hubro label when Australian designer Heath Killen included them in a blog post. You can find that here.

Anmyway, largely photographic - using found images or those taken by Aslak Gurholt Rønsen and Thomas Nordby of art directors/designers Yokoland - there's now a series of lovingly crafted physical releases for the kind of Scandinavian jazz and improvised music that has come to typify the Hubro aesthetic. Actually a sub-label of Grappa Musikkforlag - Norway's leading independent - each album is linked through the use of hand-written text plus an illustration of the Eagle Owl. (Or, as that bird is known in Norwegian, the "Hubro".)

Toddla T - Watch Me Dance by Peter and Paul

Link: Peter and Paul
Link: Toddla T
Link: Kid Acne

Peter and Paul's artwork for Toddla T's Watch Me Dance album on Ninja Tune involved the making of t-shirts for its various tracks. Some of these featured illustrations by, fellow Steel City maverick/Peter and Paul collaborator, Kid Acne and specific designs were also photographed individually for their respective single releases.

Meanwhile, demonstrating the approach's versatility as a promotional device, a selection of the garments have also been offered as merchandise plus as competition prizes through the producer/DJ's Facebook-based 'Tbay' giveaways.

Smart.

Radio Slave - 'No Sleep Part Six' by Red Design

Link: Red Design

Brighton's Red Design just unveiled its new website. That's probably reason enough to post the great sleeve that the studio created for Rekids' Radio Slave.