2023 WCMA Excellence In Visual Design Final Nominee (Cannot Be Unheard album package, Raging Fire & Edge of Goodbye single covers)
Photography by Suzanne Sagmeister
The Cannot Be Unheard vinyl cover was a rare gem that came out of the gate hot and was approved without revision. The image has a glorious old Hollywood glamour, and the addition of the textured glass adds depth to the image and a modern element of beautiful imperfection, which is carried through the narrative of the album overall. The glass texture was placed strategically so that the large blue/red shimmer flows into/out of Ollee’s ears. The desaturated colours also tie in really well with cover art for the first two singles. The glass look was carried through to the vinyl disc which was pressed in a translucent light blue.
This stylized composite was pulled from how we see ourselves reflected in others and how who we were in the past still lives within who we are today. We ended up using Ollee’s wedding photo to match the lighting and the composition of both images. We added some warm filter effects, light leaks and old film elements to tie it into the music video. The addition of the filter effects also helps make the composite reflection look more natural.
The Edge of Goodbye cover concept aimed to be minimalist and striking in the same vein as vintage Grace Jones, Led Zepplin, Fleetwood Mac album art. Listening to the track we really got a sense that the protagonist had set fire to a particular chapter of their story, which they then put out just in time, saving it from the brink of it being lost.
