The digipak uses a multilayered geometric cut-out in the shape of the Flower of Life symbol used in the album artwork to add dimension and interest. The saturated color palette stands out against the black background, capturing attention. The symbolic artwork has deep spiritual meaning in sacred geometry and is open to interpretation, intriguing consumers. Consistent use of the artwork across promotional materials clearly links the band and album identity across media.

1. DIGIPAK RESEARCH
[INDIE GENRE]
By Tara S

2. The black and white
colour palette used
creates a bold and
simplistic look. The
predominantly black
casing subverts the
stereotypical
conventions of the indie
pop genre as it lacks
the vibrancy and colour
that the upbeat tones
connoted by indie pop
music.
However, The XX make
music that is organic,
low key and almost
ghostly; their unique
sound generally appeals
to a niche market
therefore the
minimalistic design
suits their musical style.
The lack of photography/ illustrations on the
digipak does not conform to Dyer’s ‘Star Image’ but
rather sells their music and identity as a band, as
opposed to themselves as individual stars, which can
again be attributed to their basic image.
The clean cut
font and
unmistakable
X graphic
adheres to the
soft macabre
indie aesthetic.
The X cut out is much more interesting
than flat pack casing, giving the digipak a
greater depth and dimension.
The XX – xx (2009)

3. The artist is shown
wearing red, which
makes him stand out
against the other people
on the cover. This links
to Hill's (1989)
conclusion that photos
or artwork with greater
contrast between
product and
background produce
better results. In this
case, the artist is much
more salient than any
other object in the
photograph due to
increased contrast,
emphasizing star image
to gain the consumers
attention, which (as
noted by Hill) impacts
subsequent sales.
Capturing the natural movement of the surrounding objects/ people in
the frame articulates a sense of realism. Ezra's actions starkly contrast
with the others in the frame; the artist uses a direct mode of address, as
he appears to be looking at us. This breaks the 4th wall and provides a
direct link between the Ezra and audience through his body language.
The artist is the central focus of the frame, connoting a sense of
importance and again drawing the consumers attention straight
towards him.
The
unsaturated
effect gives the
digipak a classic
aged look,
portraying the
artists persona
and musical
style perfectly,
which is
characterized
by his "big,
booming voice
and the rattling
energy of Fifties
skiffle".
The artist strays from the mainstream image of young artists who are
assumed to be preoccupied by fashion modern technology, which is
common to the indie genre as it is heavily dominated by older singers.
This individuality appeals to the alternative target audience.
The white font is layered onto the image on
the front cover, making it appear prominent
and eye-catching for potential consumers.
George Ezra – Wanted on Voyage (2014)

4. However the
consistent images of
dull rainbow
coloured umbrellas/
balloons on each
cover symbolize the
happy, carefree
attitude of the artist,
contrasting with the
sombre background.
This links to Saussure's semitoics
theory, whereby the signifiers are
the rainbow coloured
symbols/images and the signified
meaning is high spirits, power
and dignity.
The washed out colour creates a vintage feel
and draws attention to Aplin's wistful musical
style and the nostalgic mood of the album,
with images suggesting bygone memories.
The calligraphy on the cover is bold
and clear, drawing attention to the
artist and album title, which also
works to maintain a sharp, expressive
design common to the indie genre.
The artists
signature is also
featured on the
digipak, a
personal
expression of her
individual style.
The greyscale background
depicts album title English
Weather.
Gabrielle Aplin – English Weather (2013)

5. OMAM's digipak, employs a
monochrome colour palette and
simplistic graphic letter symbols,
creating a bold statement from the
artists about the powerful sound of
their music.
The cut out of OMAM in block
typography, revealing a damaged
rough surface coheres with the album
title 'Beneath the Skin' creating an
earthy, rudimental look.
The variations of the elemental triangles in the
casing can be described as 'symbolic signs' (Pierce's
theory) as the object and sense behind it must be
learned and understood.
Each sign is captioned with a song
title on the album, thus consumers
can denote that the symbols are used
to depict simplest essential parts and
principles of which anything can
consist, giving the album a raw,
authentic edge.
Of Monsters and Men – Beneath The Skin (2015)

6. The illustrations on this digipak were done
by Katie Scott who presents human forms
through highly detailed fictional
anatomical and biological illustrations,
giving it a professional artistic edge.
The colour used here are almost chalky,
adhering to the indie convention of a
vintage look.
Barthes' symbolic code'
can be applied here,
whereby the illustrations,
partnered with the album
title, convey the idea that
something is altering the
brain chemistry of the
artists (or audience). With
the album featuring an odd
mixture of ambivalent and
exuberant sounds, the
visuals adds more depth to
the meaning of the music
for the audience who can
fully appreciate the
'different kind' of musical
style.
The font is bold and
white, drawing
attention to the
simple album title,
which contrasts with
the detailed
illustrations.
On the back, the
tracklist is presented
in a simple vertical
list with the same
font as the title,
again appearing.
bold and basic.
The band logo is also
used on the cover,
selling their identity as
a musical group.
Bombay Bicycle Club – A
Different Kind of Fix (2011)

7. This digipak is slightly
different, as it is a
compilation album,
therefore more than one
disc is included in the
packaging. A booklet
which features the artwork
of each separate album
accompanies each disc,
emulating the concept of
each of the artists works.
The packaging is sleek and
compact, giving the
digipak a sophisticated
look.
The sleeve of the digipak features a photograph of the artist, in
the center of the case, leading the consumers eye straight to the
artist. This links to Carlsson' s theory that the artist 'is the
materialization of the commercial exhibitionist [...] a monger
of their own body image' as The Weeknd has chosen to use a
photograph showcasing his individual style on the front cover.
A parental advisory
logo is on the bottom
right of the sleeve
cover, immediately
pointing out the age
restriction of the album
to potential consumers.
The typography is consistent throughout the digipak, a plain
neat font. The back also features his signature phrase 'XO' in its
commercialised record label logo form, creating an exclusive
connection between the fans and the artist who will recognize
and understand the reference.
Again, a
predominantly black
and white colour
palette is used giving
the digipak an
elegant, stylish
design.
The Weeknd – Trilogy (2012)

8. The front cover skews natural imagery into a central
focal point using geometric lines. This is visually
appealing as the artist employs abstract imagery rather
than modern graphic iconography, creating a simple
yet alluring cover. It also links to the album's title
'innerspeaker' as the lines represent vibrations on a
speaker.
The clouds represent an almost dream-like state, which links to Bruce &
Young's psychographics theory; the consumer is driven by the energy and
adventure connoted by the album artwork, falling into the 'explorer'
category, which is comprised of a younger demographic (Tame Impala's
target audience) who typically enjoy the psychedelic aesthetic of the band.
This also works to emphasize the individual sound of the band, who are
known for their mellow trance style music.
The band logo is presented in a
white circle on the bottom right
of the front cover, with bonus
tracks and special features listed
as this particular digipak was
limited edition, making it stand
out to consumers on a shelf.
The back cover
details the
credits in a
horizontal list,
emphasizing the
credibility of the
artist.
The pastel
tones of baby
blue and white
contrast with
the dark blue
colour of the
font, making it
stand out.
Tame Impala – Innerspeaker (2010)

9. The album cover emphasizes the artwork using a circular border,
perhaps alluding to "the device or contraption, of a telescopic nature,
through which one views the world where Cut Copy creates their
music." This links to Posner's attentional spotlight theory, which sees
that a spotlight draws the immediate attention of an audience to the
information within that spacial region.
The graphic
display takes up
the majority of the
space on the cover,
a unique feature
used to draw in
the commonly
artistic target
audience.
In the artwork, New York is shown engulfed by a waterfall, representing the sound of the
album - a "tussle between synthetic and organic instruments". A creation of the artists' new
world which "looks archaic, but at the same time it's timeless, referencing music from the
past". The artwork links with the suspense and mystery of the album, and creates a strong
parallel between the sound and visuals, a key element of Goodwin's theory.
The font used is white
and capitalised
against the
surrounding black
background,
emphasizing the
album title and artists
name.
The geometric
shapes and
rhythmic patterns
inside give the
album a fun,
quirky feel which
is common to the
strange fantasy
elements linked
with indie culture.
Cut Copy – Zonoscope (2011)

10. The digipak is
multilayered; a
geometric
shape cut out in
the shape of the
symbol is used
to emphasize
the imagery/
album artwork
adding more
dimension and
tactile interest.
The case uses a saturated CYMK
colour palette, which stands out
against the black keyline
background. This looks bold and
effective, captivating the eye of the
consumer. The font (on the front
cover) employs the same colour
palette and is capitalized, making
it stand out.
The artwork employs the geometric motif called "The
Flower of Life", which has a deep spiritual meaning
and has occurred throughout history. This links to
Barthes' 'referential/cultural code' in which the
product refers to an external body of knowledge, in
this case, sacred geometry. The symbol is open to
interpretation, intriguing potential consumers and
perhaps linking to the theme of hopes a dreams
expressed in the lyrics of songs in the album.
Synergy between the magazine poster, tube station poster and digipak
cover and so forth by using the same symbolic album artwork ensures
that consumers don't get confused and provides a clear link between all
of their promotional products. This emphasizes the identity of the band
and their album across a range of media platforms, which makes it
much more eye-catching and memorable.
A Head Full of Dreams – Coldplay (2015)