Amazon Rose

Detailed digipak Analysis The XX

Front CoverThe front cover for The XX’s album uses a very simplistic colour scheme of white and a colouful oil like texture. This reflects the nature of the new edge music and the indie pop genre. Another typical feature of the genre is the use of very simplistic album covers that aren’t the typical conventions of album artwork. The front cover depicts a cross that covers and centres the frame. The use of the oil spill creates a rainbow coloured shine to the album, using different materials in this way could be something I look into for my own digipak.  Another aspect that makes this cover stand out is the cut out feature. This makes the cover have slightly more of a 3 dimensional feel to it and again brings out the texture of the oil graphic.

InsideThe inside of the digipak offers a continuation simplistic white and oil graphic theme but injects a slightly brighter use of the oil colour on the CD itself. The inside also introduces an insert pocket again featuring the cut out and oil cross graphic. This pocket has a curved edge to create a very finished look, at the same time as sustaining a sense of simplicity. I quite like the cut across of the photograph and the rounded edges that make the design seem clean and professional.  I have noticed that the digipak does not feature a photo of the artist themselves, this is an indication they are already well known and have no need to publicise their image.

Insert lyric pages 1

This photograph shows the first page of the insert. The artist has used the double spread to carry on the album artwork however this time adding in a new graphic. Despite this the graphic still continues with the oil colour spill theme, making good use of synergy.  The colours used are again are very vibrant and stand out against the plain background. Whereas the main album artwork uses a white colour scheme here they have opted for black as an alternative. The use of black against the colour also provides a vibrant eye catching contrast and intriguing image.

Insert lyric pages 2

This is another shot of the insert, as the artist provided a page for each song that features the lyrics. This enables the audience to become involved in the music, as they can study and possibly sing the lyrics to aid the understanding of the song.  This page is for the song “Reunion” and offers another new graphic or photograph which again continues the theme. A heavier use of black picks up the shadows and layers of the artwork, providing a stronger draw to the textures.

The white font used is small and does not draw the attention away from the art or style.

Insert Lyric Pages 3

Here the artist has further experimented with textures and colours but sticks to a darker colour scheme. The dark colour scheme of the insert is a good continuation of the theme to make sure this CD maintains synergy. The white font against the black again highlights the importance of the lyrics but also does not draw away from the artwork.  

The rounded font gives connotations of a slightly softer sound and also follows the alternative theme that runs through this digipak.  

Back of insertThe back of the insert continues the dark theme but this time introduces a larger graphic, with a close up abstracted photograph of the oil spill. This image is very striking and yet still a very subtle and effective image.  These colours are very fitting with the theme of the digipak, and the simplistic design could mimic the rounded fonts and rounded edges of the digipak framing.

A simplistic thank you adds a personalisation to the insert, as well as highlighting the colours with the metallic font.

Back Cover

The back cover provides a list of the songs in the simple rounded non serif font that is carried throughout the didgipak and the cover. The artwork style is not continued on the back cover, it is left white to not detract away from the cover and to fit with the minimalistic style.  A link to the website is visible in a very small font at the base of the page. The record company’s logo is also visible to reference those involved and credit production.

Consistency of design- Synergy

It is clear the artist has kept the simple graphic very consistent throughout the artwork. Synergy is evidently very important for this artist. This helps link all of the pieces of the digipak together and also create a sense of a finished product. The gaphic is very simple and abstracted yet maintains the link to the natural word the artist and the genre have.  In my own digipak I will strive to keep this level of consistency as I feel it provides a much more professional look to the product.