This document analyzes album covers and promotional posters for trip hop artists such as James Blake and Jamie xx. It finds that they commonly feature minimal text focused on the artist name, abstract or blurred images that don't clearly depict the artist, and color schemes that create intrigue or distance. This style is meant to reflect the experimental and unpredictable nature of trip hop music while drawing audiences in to learn more about the unique individual artists.

1. Research
DIGIPAK AND POSTER ANALYSIS

2. Album Covers
Electronic/Trip Hop
Album One: Self Titled, James Blake
Main Image
The album cover is dominated by a
central image of James Blake. This
ensures that all attention is on the
album artist. Although it gives out
little about James Blake himself, it
allows audiences to identify the artist
if they are already familiar with him.
Titles
The only writing featured on the album
cover is the artists name. Again, this
ensures the cover is artist focused and
allows audiences to identify the album
as belonging to James Blake.
Image Effects
The photograph of James Blake has evidently been captured using
a slow shutter speed or through digital adjustments, in order to
create a blurred effect. The hazy image and lack of definition is
able to intrigue audiences and cloud his ambiguity, something
seen commonly in album covers of the trip hop genre. The
uncertainty of the cover image could be linked to the
unpredictability of trip hop and its experimental artists.
The blur creates a somewhat ghostly appearance for James Blake,
dehumanising him and perhaps reflecting his hauntingly
melancholy voice. It is common for artists to want to appear
different to their audiences, as it can be intriguing and be what
draws listeners in. Also, the unique appearance of James Blake
could reflect his individual music style and on a bigger scale, the
unique genre that trip hop is.
Colour Scheme
The colour scheme creates a blue hue which makes
James Blake appear somewhat distant and separate
from the audience. This distance between artist and
consumer can be intriguing for audiences who want
to discover more about the artist.
Simplicity
The simplicity of the album cover means that it gives
very little away. Audiences may be left guessing about
the album’s contents and so are persuaded to listen to it.

3. Album Covers
Electronic/Trip Hop
Album Two: Self Titled, Wax Poetic
Titles
The only obvious writing featured on
the album cover is the group name:
Wax Poetic. Self titled albums such as
this ensure that the cover is entirely
artist focused and allows audiences to
identify the album artist. The only other
text is the name of the record label, a
key feature of most album covers.
Main Image
The album cover features an entirely
unrelated image of a horse. Its lack of
relevance constructs an abstract cover, which
could reflect the individuality of Wax Poetic
and the trip hop genre as a whole. It seems
that a lot of trip hop and electronic albums
will produce abstract and unique covers to
this effect. Since the covers are so different,
audiences may struggle to predict the
contents of a trip hop artist. This could reflect
the unpredictably of the genre as it has room
for so much experimentation.
Colour Scheme
The black and white colour theme of the
album plays a big part in leaving audiences
guessing. Dark backdrops often suggest the
unknown and unpredictability; trip hop
albums may be to this effect as the genre is
so unpredictable and audiences sometimes
do not know what to expect from them.
Different trip hop artists are open to
experimentation and so it is difficult to expect
anything too specific from an album.
The image of the horse has been digitally
altered to a sheeny white and almost ghostly
effect. Like with James Blake’s album cover,
this could be reflecting the hauntingly
melancholy voices of Wax Poetic.
Simplicity
The simplicity of the album cover means
that it gives very little away. Audiences may
be left guessing about the album’s contents
and so are persuaded to listen to it.

4. Album Covers
Electronic/Trip Hop
Others
Conclusion
Album analysis has suggested to me that many trip hop album covers will
be very much artist focused. This will be achieved by limited text on the
front cover so that the artist name and album name stands out. Some will
have images of the artists themselves and this all works together so that
audiences can identify who the album is by.
It seems that a lot of trip hop album covers will also have abstract images
that have somewhat been dehumanised. For example, the cover for
What’s That Noise? By Coldcut features subjects which resemble robots
and aliens, and James Blake’s self titled album uses digital alteration to
create a ghostly effect on his portrait. Numerous other trip hop albums
are seen to use similar images on their covers and this could be a
reflection of the genre. Electronic instruments and electronic technology
can allow the production of down tempo music and very unique and
melancholy sounds. Artists can also use lyrics to this effect. Trip hop is
made to be a very individual genre through the combination of its sounds
and lyrics, and the abstract album covers could be a reflection of this
unique style.

5. Posters
Electronic/Trip Hop
Poster for In Colour by Jamie xx Promotional Poster for James Blake
Titles
The only obvious writing
featured on the album
cover reads the artist and
album name. Although
these are particularly
small titles, they are still
able to stand out through
the use of a white font.
Also, the poster only
really focuses on one
concept: a colour wheel,
and so there is not much
to distract from the titles.
This ensures the poster is
artist focused and allows
audiences to identify who
the poster is advertising.
Titles
The only writing on
the poster is ‘James
Blake’, the artist
name. Similar to
many other trip hop
posters and album
covers, this ensures
the text is entirely
artist focused and
there is no distraction
from who the poster
is advertising. The
font is also
particularly large and
just above central, so
it is likely to be the
first thing that the
viewer will see.
Main Image
The promotional poster does
not feature an image of James
Blake himself. Although many
posters will be based around a
photograph of the artist, it
seems that some of the most
effective ones will use
alternative and abstract
images. We are not able to see
the individual beneath the suit,
and so it is difficult to draw
conclusions from the image.
Many trip hop posters will aim
to keep a viewer guessing,
since artists within the genre
are able to experiment with a
huge selection of electronic
technologies and so it is
difficult to expect anything
specific from it.
Main Image
The poster focuses
on a colour wheel,
an abstract image
which could be a
reflection of the
unique genre that
trip hop is.