A Designers Republic Mixtape

Without a doubt, The Designers Republic (tDR) has been among the most influencial design studios throughout the nineties until their unexpected end earlier this year. The British Warp label, the wipEout series on Sony's Playstation or the artwork of Funkstörung are probably the best-known identities tDR has created. A generation of young illustrators has been under the influence of tDR's iconic designs and their distinctive typography.

While there is hope for tDR to continue its business, Noise Heat Power is looking back at Sheffield's design house and pays an homage with a very special mixtape.

Brain Aided Dancing (download)
01. Age Of Chance - This Is Crush Collision
02. Chakk - Timebomb
03. Sun Electric - EYA (Green Velvet Funk Mix)
04. The Step - Yeah You!
05. The Funky Worm - Hustle! (To The Music…) (Predora Mix)
06. Moloko - Tight Sweater
07. Junk - Your First Kiss Was My Last Breath Pt. 1
08. Pulp - Babies
09. Subsonic 2 - DJ Cassrock Don't Care
10. Subsonic 2 - Addicted To Music
11. The Orb - Perpetual Dawn
12. Sweet Exorcist - Testone (Winston & Ross Remix)
13. LFO - Shove Piggy Shove
14. Love Street - Galaxy
15. Krush - House Arrest (The Beat Is The Law)
16. LFO - Track 4
17. Bleep & Booster - Technotropolis
18. Pop Will Eat Itself - Can U Dig It?
19. Age Of Chance - Kiss (Collision Cut)

[…] ‘Brain Aided Dancing', an MP3 mix dedicated to music wrapped by Sheffield's legendary design house. Every track included in the mix is plucked from my own music collection; sometimes bought for the sound, sometimes for the sleeve, and often a bit of both. It's therefore a highly personal response to the Designers Republic's work and the music within; there is certainly nothing comprehensive about it, and I've made no attempt to create a definitive record of their twenty-plus years' hard labour. Rather, I have tried to engineer a mix that works on its own terms but that also stirs in a few of my favourite examples from their back catalogue. There are singles and there are album tracks - all were eligible so long as the sleeve bore the DR name.

I planned to add a gallery with the artwork of those records, but I did not find the images in good quality. Instead I'm giving you this book recommendation and an interview (in Spanish but featuring nice work!) with tDR founder Ian Anderson.

Published on March 17, 2009