On Plunge it feels different-not necessarily aligning with a black metal aesthetic or a sense of irony.
![a corpse wired for sound reference a corpse wired for sound reference](https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/man-thinker-pose-d-model-man-geometric-design-human-body-wire-model-business-science-psychology-philosophy-vector-144460049.jpg)
It seems like black metal is appearing more and more in pop culture but used with heavy irony (I was going to bring up Justin Bieber and his black metal merchandise, but hesitated until I noticed the Bieber poster in the video for “IDK About You”). Spread from Atomic Age magazine Spread from Atomic Age magazine This is also what the I hope the Plunge world represents. It’s a sort of hyperreality, a place where you can live out your fantasies safely by trusting each other and not being judged. It’s more a space where you can be a cosmonaut, an office worker, a firefighter, a dog, a flower, and where you can meet. This is also where I understood that BDSM aesthethics have become very conservative: it’s not all dark, leather, and chains. They play with class, gender, status, titles very freely. It’s very playful and the creations they made are out of this world. Everything is very DIY but still amazing. It’s a magazine from the ’60s made by BDSM enthusiasts. One of the main sources of inspiration is a magazine I came across doing an exhibition at a gallery in Glasgow called Atomic Age. It was a way to let go of the idea of a “clean concept” and to just be free, play, and have fun. I’m trying to say that by not doing what’s expected of you you can truly meet yourself and others.
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Maybe that sounds pretentious I’m not sure exactly how to put it into words. I wanted to create a fantasy world where everything would be possible and everything could coexist… You know when you’re really hungry and you want some fries, pizza, a burger, salad, ice cream, chocolate, candy, soda, and you have to make a decision but instead you just put everything together in one bowl and VOILA! Why do you need to chose one thing? Why can’t you be more then one thing and change and transform? I feel people are functioning on multiple levels, and by using complexity, diversity, and surprise you can build your own opinion and not just swallow a constructed image. I’m curious about the inspiration that shaped the visual language of Plunge?Ī lot of the things in this world are very intuitive. Overall though, the world feels completely alien. Some of the references are clear-black metal, occult symbolism, and BDSM, for example. The visuals for Plunge create a new “Fever Ray universe.” There is a cast of characters, symbols, colors, and implied relationships that evolve over the elements of the packaging and videos. I would call it a visual conversation.īehind the scenes with Karin Dreijer (Fever Ray)
![a corpse wired for sound reference a corpse wired for sound reference](https://venturebeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/2018052516370700-e7260330e4b7d47c63ff99ba9689d77c.jpg)
I would say it works a little bit like a vikgubbe-not sure about the English name, maybe ”exquisite corpse”? I put some stuff together and then Karin reacts to it. Karin is really great to work with and we have a lot of trust in each other so the process becomes very smooth, fun, and easy. I understood this would be something completely different from the previous album, so it needed a completely different aesthetic. She allowed me to listen to some music early in the process, from which I began thinking about this new world. She told me she was working on a new project and wasn’t completely sure what it was. I’ve worked with Karin before on different projects for The Knife, so we had a good starting point.
![a corpse wired for sound reference a corpse wired for sound reference](https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/man-thinker-pose-d-model-man-geometric-design-human-body-wire-model-business-science-psychology-philosophy-vector-163456836.jpg)
How does a process like this begin with Karin Dreijer? Does she come to you with a clear idea of what the visuals should be, are you responding to particular elements of the music, or is it more of a conversation?
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In the second installment of Uncovered, a regular series on The Gradient focused on the process and influences behind recent album artwork, we hear straight from the designers behind releases from Fever Ray, the label Country Music, and Mouse on Mars.ĭesigner: Martin Falck Album cover for Plunge, Fever Ray
![a corpse wired for sound reference a corpse wired for sound reference](https://venturebeat.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/screen-shot-2018-05-02-at-2-03-28-pm.jpg)
Despite the change, album covers are still a dream project for many designers, and the field is rich with covers that are both beautiful and boundary pushing. jpg at the bottom left-hand corner of Spotify. What was once a canvas for seminal LP artworks by Peter Saville and Hipgnosis has now been reduced to a small. Since then the format has moved from a simple piece of graphic design to an integral part of popular culture. Sadly, as the music industry has evolved, so has the sleeve. In 1938, Alex Steinweiss was hired as the art director for Columbia Records where he pioneered the idea of album artwork.