WORK: UNCOILED

Identity development, various release artwork for UNCOILED, a label headed by producer Lonefront and based in Minneapolis (2023, ongoing)

Ross (Lonefront) and I had worked together on a previous iteration of his website and various other ideas. He approached me with the task of helping create the identity of his new label, Uncoiled, and with creating the artwork for the first release, which then quickly extended into the next, UNCOILED 00 and UNCOILED 01 respectively.

I used a typeface I had been developing based on inspiration from 80s era AUDI vehicle livery called “TURBO” to create the initial version of the UNCOILED logotype (Ross has chosen to move away from this logotype in most usages more recently to something he worked on with the other designer who was able to nail his vision for the interlocked figures seen on the label B sides, but I still have a soft spot for this version)

I worked in Blender using node-based textures to create complex fields of mostly non repeating, fractal-like 2D splashes for the first release, EXEGESIS I.

The images coming out of Blender were rendered with transparent backgrounds in order to allow for flexibility as they were overlaid on carefully selected CMYK colors for the printed packaging.

Some real overkill in the early process as I got down a rabbit hole creating illustrations of the 12 inch record for mockup and visualization purposes.

The second release saw me expanding some of the Blender workflows to create an actual 3D object which was rendered from both sides for the front and back of the jacket. Again exported transparently so we could nail the vibe with background colors after the fact and avoid having to spend hours re-rendering for last minute edits.

Overall a hugely satisfying set of project to work on, and Ross is a fantastic collaborator with clear visions and instinct but also very game to explore and discover new ideas in the playful, hands on process of iteration and design that I favor.

Happy to say the next release is in development. I’ll update this post with future documentation.

You can listen to and purchase digital versions of the label’s current catalogue at their bandcamp. Physical editions sold out quick, so if you’re interested in having the next one in your hands, sign up fro updates:

https://uncoiled.bandcamp.com/

Shields