May 8, 2019
It’s hard to remember the last time I was this excited about a new artist. Georgia is an emerging songwriter/producer from London. Although she’s been making music for a few years now, her recent pair of singles—“Started Out” and “About Work the Dancefloor”—sparked my attention near the beginning of this year and I haven’t stopped listening.
These two songs sound incredibly fresh and upbeat—almost futuristically so—and make me feel ecstatic. Georgia’s combination of analog production equipment (including a drum machine and vintage synth) with ’80s flare create a thrilling environment for the listener. In “About Work the Dancefloor” especially, you can hear how feelings of love and vulnerability are captured effortlessly atop bright, pulsing synth-pop.
The multitude of textures and beats heard in Georgia’s songs may be reminiscent of an earlier era, but the way she pulls in references of club culture and post-punk and embeds them into her own style is very much current. I’m excited to see where Georgia’s music will go from here!
New Music
May 3, 2019
Love this visual identity for a lecture series at the Baltimore Museum of Art, done by Post Typography. The concept behind the campaign is that only by envisioning alternative futures can we create a better tomorrow. This concept is carried throughout the branding through the use of striking design elements and bold typography. My favorite parts of this branding are the series of ‘interrupted’ objects where hopeful expressions disrupt everyday advertising and signage, helping “carry the conversation’s themes beyond the walls of the lecture hall and into the city landscape.” See for yourself at the link above.
Branding
April 10, 2019
Great article outlining techniques to infuse soul and personality into your web design projects.
See also: Andy Clarke’s Art Direction for the Web, which was recently published by Smashing Magazine. Definitely adding this to my wish list!
Web Design
April 10, 2019
Smart and timely deep dive on how to deal with cookie consent prompts from a privacy and UX perspective:
With the advent of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in May 2018, the web has turned into a vast exhibition of consent pop-ups, notifications, toolbars, and modals. While the intent of most cookie-related prompts is the same — to get a user’s consent to keep collecting and evaluating their behavior the same ol’ way they’ve been doing for years — implementations differ significantly, often making it ridiculously difficult or simply impossible for customers to opt out from tracking.
UX Design
Web Design
February 16, 2019
The art of making playlists for friends
In our algorithm-driven world, creating a personal playlist for a friend can have a lot of meaning.
If you have friends with similar taste in music, or even ones that don’t, playlists are an excellent way to share your music discoveries. Plus, people are lazy when it comes to finding new music. Applying your knowledge of genres, artists, and your corner of the music world to a tangible thing that can be gifted can be much appreciated.
Regardless of which service or media you use (digital streaming is convenient, but CDs add a lovely personalized touch), here are a few tips to get in the mindset of creating unforgettable mixes for the people you care about:
Be a curator
When it comes to playlists, curation and editing down is key. You probably have thousands of songs in your personal music library, but others only really want the best of what you listen to, or a taste of recent favorites. Be opinionated and critical of your selections, but know you don’t need to limit yourself, either. Playlists can be as short or long as you deem necessary—just aim for quality.
Listen often, and with intent
Pay attention to what’s happening in music, and you’ll be that much more valuable as a provider of playlists. Read music news, listen to other playlists, and hear from other sources that are well-regarded in the industry. Likewise, the same attentiveness goes for the songs you listen to. Practice listening with intent regularly, focusing on different instruments and vocals as well as what you enjoy in songs. This is also a useful tip for playing back your playlists and making changes.
Create a flow for the songs
Once you have a selection of songs you’re content with, play around with the order in a strategic way. Playlists should flow somewhat seamlessly so there aren’t any abrupt shifts. Try to craft a story using only the sounds! Lastly, don’t put songs that are too similar back-to-back, or you may end up creating pockets of repetition. Your playlists should always be memorable and never dull, so spend time balancing the arrangement of songs so you end up with a mix that’s both smooth and interesting.
Play it for yourself
As you give thought into the choice and order of your songs, don’t forget to play it back for yourself. Take your playlist for a ride in your car, and put yourself in the listener’s perspective. Or, go for a walk with your playlist on and focus on what’s working and what’s not so great.
Go all out with the experience
Playlists are gifts, so don’t forget that your creations are meant to be enjoyed. If you’re a visual creative type, create a custom-designed cover or tracklist. A thoughtful note also goes a long way, describing the purpose or inspiration behind the playlist. Even if you aren’t creating a physical packaged experience, you can still have fun with the process of sending your playlist via Spotify or Apple Music.
Don’t overthink it
In the end, creating a playlist for a friend should be enjoyable. If you aren’t liking a particular part of your playlist, don’t worry too hard about it because they likely won’t even notice. You created something special, and that’s important!
New Music
