Opinion: PRP's Best of 2019 (Artwork)

Though we’re told not to judge a book by its cover, when it comes to creating album art, a well-thought-out record jacket can make your release stand out among all the others on the shelves.

There are so many cool print effect options that can enhance your artwork and being able to see all these stunning finished products come to life is just one of the rewarding aspects of my job. Whether it’s something as simple as a crisp spot gloss highlighting a single element on the cover or an intricate die cut jacket that creatively reveals pertinent details from the inner sleeve within, a custom effect can do wonders for your project.

However, such impressive finished products can also come with some more complex prep work, which is where I come in to ensure that your art will turn out even better than you expected. As Precision’s Graphic Coordinator, I review and prepare countless pieces of art every day, some a lot more complex than others. With special effects like die-cutting or a pop-up figure within a Gatefold Jacket, multiple mock-ups must be executed with considerable attention to detail to assess if the effect will turn out as desired and make any needed revisions to ensure that the completed product truly corresponds with your artistic vision.

With all that said, special effects aren’t totally necessary to help your album visually attract more attention. Sometimes less is more. I’ve compiled a top ten list of my favorite album covers to cross my desk over the past year. Not all albums on this list have any of the special print effects mentioned above; some are particularly minimalist (which I also really love), but all were memorable to me in their own way.

Torres – Silver Tongue | MERGE Records

The likeness of the portrait compared to the artist is obviously breathtaking, but the mystical artistic expression of this cover is what drew me in. The use of realism with a hint of the surreal, the gloomy background contrasted with the soft pastels of the portrait combined with the somewhat stoic expressing that seems to be masking something deeper; it’s all slightly unsettling yet captivating at the same time. It makes you want to know more; not just about what the music sounds like, but about the artist as well. The pop of the silver foil text ties together these contradictory senses, giving off an overall feeling of something supernatural, yet calm.

For more information visit mergerecords.com.

Fire Valley Fire – II | Independent

I’m a real sucker for cassettes, as well as anything handwritten, so of course I was very much loving this cheeky use of another form of analog media as the cover art. It makes the production feel so much more personal; as if a close friend just handed you this tape they made in their bedroom that no-one else has heard before, or finding a stranger’s diary left on the bus. With most handmade crafts, a lot of hard work is required and despite the minimalism of this design overall, the use of the cassette imagery makes it feel so much more intimate and valuable.

For more information visit bandcamp.com.

Plini –  Singles (2012-2014) | Sheet Happens Publishing

This cover has everything that I love (from a design perspective); minimalist layout with lots of negative space, a simple typeface with subtle glitch effects, the grainy film photography feel and of course a beautiful color palette (one of my personal favorite color combos, actually).

For more information visit sheethappenspublishing.com.

Lizzo – Cuz I Love You | Warner Music

I am a huge advocate for intersectional feminism, especially when applied to the art and music world as a form of expression, so there was no question about including Lizzo’s cover on this list. You can probably guess that I love the minimalism of the design, but what I love the most is the powerful emotion behind the portrait. This type of photograph would be a vulnerable position for anyone to pose for, but especially for those who do not necessarily fit into stereotypical western beauty standards of what we have all been force-fed by the mainstream media to see as “true beauty”. We need to show the world that there isn’t one single way to be strong and beautiful. We need more role models who exude the same unapologetic acceptance for themselves, despite harsh words coming from those more privileged. I think that Lizzo’s expression on this cover, teetering on the edge of a death-glare with just a sliver of vulnerability says all that and so much more that I could probably write an entire essay on it (but I won’t).

For more information visit warnermusic.com.

Negative Gemini – Bad Baby | 100% Electronica

This jacket truly needs to be seen in person in order to understand how stunning it is, as I don’t really know how to fully capture the way the silver card stock interacts with light and movement. It’s seriously just so beautiful that I’m afraid to hold it and accidentally cover it with my fingerprints. And the clear plastic pants she is wearing on the back are seriously iconic.

For more information visit 100percentelectronica.com.

Honorable Mentions

Corridor – Junior | Bonsound

TR/ST – The Destroyer 2 | Grouch

Ice Cream – FED UP | Graceless Lady

Pup – Morbid Stuff | Royal Mountain Records

Chastity – Home Made Satan | Omnian Music Group