Hardformat

Artist: Jon Hassell
Album: Fascinoma
Label: Water Lily Acoustics
Year: 1999
Designer: Neil Kellerhouse
Type of music: cavernous, blurred fourth world bayou
Notes: Jon Hassell’s ouevre has almost always featured strong designs (many using Mati Klarwein’s extraordinary paintings), but this is my favourite. The muted browns and golds and the pebble typography of the title suits the music perfectly. My only reservation relates to the use of a standard jewel-case rather than a digipak or, best of all, a 12″ gatefold vinyl sleeve for which this design would have been sublime. Well, one can dream…