“I’ve always loved labels that have a clearly recognizable visual style. As an avid buyer of physical music carriers, it ticks all the right boxes for my compulsive hoarding. It’s obviously my ‘graphic designer eye’ – I just love seeing a row of neatly attuned cd spines on my shelves!
So, when Dirk asked me to work on a visual identity for his labels’ releases, the answer was easy. The first thing that was immediately obvious, was that the design had to be SIMPLE. It had to say what’s in the can, that’s it.
The sleeves for A New Wave of Jazz all look similar: they all have the same grey background, with white text. Disclosure: initially I proposed to use a different color for each cd, but I’m actually glad that Dirk went for one tint only. It makes for a instantly recognizable and easy readable sleeve that doesn’t try to visualize the music, or color the listener’s imagination in any way. It simply says: this is the music you’ll get, for the rest it’s up to you to take it how you please. Let it transport you to wherever.
____
Besides being a (trained) graphic designer, I’m mostly working on music nowadays, mainly under the moniker Machinefabriek. After working as a graphic artist for design agencies for about seven years, I can now officially say that I’m a professional musician (which doesn’t mean I sold my soul to the devil). A career-move that wasn’t planned, but earning my money with what was first my hobby isn’t such a bad thing!
Basically, all visual work that I do now, is music related – for labels such as SOFA music, Glacial Movements, Solaire and of course A New Wave Of Jazz. It’s a good deal: I get to do work that I love, for music that I love.“
A New Wave Of Jazz 
You must be logged in to post a comment.