Dis|cover 2013… with Sven Swift

Okay, with all the hyped best-of lists being out of sight, we'd like to continue one of our favourite (also: most popular) series on this blog: Dis|cover. Previously, designers such as Optigram, GiveUpArt, and Nitzan Hermon contributed their favourite record covers of the previous year, but also the music lovers at Colectivo Futuro or Belgian producer Dynooo. This time, it's Error Broadcast co-founder and occasional blogger Sven Swift sharing his tastes in his own words.
_

Deafheaven - Sunbather (Deathwish Inc.)


Deafheaven - Sunbather
I presume Deafheaven are the first band in black metal history with a pink frontcover. It is supposed to mimic the bright summer sun as filtered through closed eye lids. In combination with the bold, overexposed fonts this works exceptionally well. Artwork by Nick Steinhardt.

Forest Swords - Engravings (Tri-Angle)


Forest Swords - Engravings
Forest Sword’s music always has a mysterious element to it. The combination of mainly vintage elements sums up to something more far modern than you would expect mathematically. This rhizomatic causality is illustrated in the artwork for ‘Engravings’ rather brilliant. Artwork by Forest Swords.

Sagat - Satellite EP (Vlek)


Sagat - Satellite EP
The Vlek record label cares a lot about packaging. All sleeves are crafted in a friendly screen printing workshop and rely heavily on cardboard textures and the erratic interference of patterns. Sagat's ‘Satellite’ 12″ is a good example. Artwork by DimRun.

Holden - The Inheritors (Border Community)


Holden - The Inheritors
The new Holden album has an rural quality to it that mirrors the pseudo primordial carving in the strone chunk as photographed for the artwork of ‘The Inheritors’. Aesthetically this one is a sure shot of course. Artwork by Jack Featherstone and Jasmine Garrett.

Jonwayne - Rap Album One (Stones Throw)


Jonwayne - Rap Album One
I don’t need to comment the obvious brilliance of Jonwayne‘s artwork for ‘RAP Album One’, do I? Imagine this one on 32 x 32 cm. PS: The shot of Wayne on the inner sleeve needs to be mentioned, too. Artwork by Jeff Jank, photography by Theo Jemison.

Vincent Parker - Hypo (not on label)


Vincent Parker - Hypo
To be honest: I can't really say why I dig the art on ‘Hypo’ that much. Maybe it remembers me of corpse paint? Idk. Vincent Parker is definitely unsuspicious of black metal.

Kitty - Barbie Jeep (Adult Swim)


Kitty - Barbie Jeep
Here it is, the perfect condensation of all that is Kitty. Super sweet strawberry blonde and ultimately disturbing eventually. Did I mention the single is entitled ‘Barbie Jeep’?

Shlohmo – Bo Peep (U Do Right) (Yours Truly)


Shlohmo – Bo Peep (U Do Right)
My favorite song in 2013. And a great single cover that joins naïve painting with surrealism and the art of drunken decoration. Shlohmo and Jeremih broke the internet with ‘Bo Peep’. Artwork by Saiman Chow.

LE1F – Tree House (Greedhead Entertainment)
LE1F – Tree House
LE1F is an alien rapper and ‘Tree House’ deserves no other artwork than this. Technically the front bows to the accidental photography of Jürgen Teller, however the motive and pose of LE1F suggest a far more theatrical tone. I enjoy this mismatch a lot.

WANDA GROUP – Piss Fell Out Like Sunlight (Opal Tapes)
WANDA GROUP – Piss Fell Out Like Sunlight
The brilliance of WANDA GROUP‘s hilariously entitled ‘Piss Fell Out Like Sunligh’ offers itself with the 12″ sleeve. The artwork is printed in a raw grating that masks the detailed motive fall apart at closer examination easily. Stunning effect, and another on in the pattern/ noise row.

Bat For Lashes – Haunted Man (Parlophone)
Bat For Lashes – Haunted Man
Honorable mention for the best artwork that arrived a tiny bit too early for 2013: Bat For Lashes with ‘The Haunted Man’. Fix position in my top 5 of all times… Photograph by Ryan McGinley.
_

Thanks a lot, Sven!

Published on January 25, 2014