4AD is a traditional great british record label. It was started in 1979 and is still running today. Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent, employees of the Beggars Banquet record store and label, founded Axis Records in late 1979 as a property of Beggars Banquet that was run by the two. After the first four Axis singles in early 1980, the name was changed to 4AD when it became apparent that the name Axis was already being used by another music company. The solution to this problem came from a promotional flyer that they had printed up to call attention to the new releases. The flyer's designer had added some typography that played on both the new year and the idea of progress:

1980 FORWARD
1980 FWD
1984 AD
4AD

Watts-Russell invited the graphic designer Vaughan Oliver to create sleeve art for the label, and as a result, 4AD quickly acquired a visually distinctive identity. Its artists, like Cocteau Twins and Dead Can Dance, developed substantial cult followings in the mid-1980s, but 4AD continued to evolve, and, after signing Throwing Muses and Pixies, the label increasingly concentrated on underground American rock music. In 1983, 4AD had a minor hit in America with the Modern English single "I Melt With You". In 1987, 4AD had a UK number-one hit with the collaged "Pump up the Volume" by M|A|R|R|S (licensed to 4th & B'Way/Island Records in the US).

This is one of the styles I considered for my album art, I love the texture and if I where to create my digi pack I would want it to follow the same vain. The artistic and expressionist style of graphic designer Vaughn Oliver is something I would consider if the traditional style band image fails to create the graphic image I want to create.



An alternative idea for my digi pack is like those shown above by The Cribs. I like the bold graphic imagery combines with bright colours, it creates a visually appealing, strong image that is artistic as well as instantly recognisable. Using photoshop and  a combination of images of The Tennents I could create something along a similar vain, using more traditional band imagery. Although being independent i am tempted by the more abstract expressionist stye of Vaughn Oliver as it is there first album it might be best to stick to more traditional conventions until they make a name for then selves on the indie music scene.

I like the use of colour in the cold play album art, contrasted by the blank grey surrounding. The grey acts in a way which highlights the text and the vividness of the colour used I the album art. I think this should work well with the bold graphic imagery by The Cribs and the Foo Fighters shown above. however in my album art unlike Cold Plays i want a more smokey marbled effect rather then the projection of creative urban sprawls of graffiti style illustration.