Tag: artwork

leif podhajsky = a cover story!

 

we normally reserve this space to feature magnificent artwork from a single record label, but we recently came across the works of designer & creative director leif podhajsky and our minds were immediately blown! we could have done a full on feature with his collages, illustrations, and screen-prints. instead, we chose to focus only on the work he’s created for artists and record labels over the past few years. perhaps coincidentally, his creations have been gracing the covers of some of our recent favorites, which without a doubt solidifies the theory that sounds and visuals must go hand in hand to form a complete package.

now living in London, Leif has made a name for himself with covers that exude psychedelic and other-worldly elements for artists such as Likke Li, Tame Impala, Shabazz Palaces, and most recently Young Magic; all of which might seem very diverse at first, but if you take a closer listen you’ll undoubtedly find similar sonic palettes in their works. exploring themes such as nature, interconnectedness, and the unknown.

Leif’s work has been exhibited in various cities across the globe, including Melbourne and Berlin. most recently he’s been hard at work developing his own clothing line, which includes foulards and sweaters so far. to top it all off, he curates a mean blog called visual melt, which we definitely recommend you follow by clicking here. if that wasn’t enough, he also records badass mixtapes full of experimental and “out there” musics, which you can listen to here.

 

 

 

hyperdub = a cover story!

 

UK bass label hyperdub has quickly become one of the most revered labels in the planet via their consistent take on future bass musics from the likes of burial, kode9 & the spaceape, zomby, king midas sound, and many more. what initially began as a 100% music focus, with simple vinyl artwork featuring the label’s logo and record info, has shifted to a more complete package with the futuristic graphics provided by london based studio optigram.

somewhat mysterious and elusive, optigram is a sister company of electrofunk label citinite, and has done artwork for several labels and brands including Clients include Hyperdub, Warp, Planet Mu, Hum + Buzz, Sähkö, Public Information, The Wire, XLR8R, MIT Press and the Red Bull Music Academy.

  

often recurring to geometric and repetitive patterns, their artworks are a perfect companion for hyperdub’s often mold-braking releases that hover between future garage, grime, house, and techno. however, they are equally effective when stepping out of their comfort zone as is the case on the beautiful and much more organic kode9 + the spaceape album cover (picture above), which is reminiscent of early japanese print art.

follow the label on twitter @hyperdub and keep track of optigram’s work via their website

also check out this spotify playlist featuring some of our favorite music from hyperdub

 

 

 

fania records = a cover story!



For years Fania Records has been the go-to label for vintage latin music lovers. The label, founded in 1964 by Jerry Masucci & Johnny Pacheco in New York, carried a very distinct sound and image thru its peak years in the 70s and 80s. Whether it was thru illustration or photography, the covers would always call for attention either due to their chosen color palette or their gritty yet humorous photos.


During said timeframe, the label would often recur to their most notorious designer, Izzy Sanabria, to perfectly plaster a record’s mood onto its accompanying cover. Additionally, there are further catalogue highlights designed by numerous collaborators, such as Ron Levine, Ely Besalel, Juan Alvarez, among others.


for more infos on the music and their record covers visit the fania website