ACL 2024
The Year’s Best Packaging
There’s something special about a physical release ~ the package arriving in the mail (or if one is fortunate, purchased from a shoppe); full-sized art to appreciate, liner notes to pore over; the scent of new vinyl, the pops and crackles and whirrs of records and cassettes. Even the lowly CD has begun to inspire nostalgia. In this article, we honor those who go the extra mile to ensure a tactile experience for their fans.
Three years have passed since the last edition of The Year’s Best Packaging, which went on hiatus due to a decline in the physical market and the oft-prohibitive costs of international shipping. This year, candidates arrived early and often. We’ve chosen ten of the best to share here, all of which were covered on our site.
V/A ~ Time Released Sound – A Decade of Handmade Music Packaging (Time Released Sound)
The clear favorite is a celebration of packaging itself. Colin Herrick and Maria Chenut have been diligently working for years on producing art that enhances the music released on their label. As many of these editions sell out quickly and all are offered in multiple editions, even fans have gaps in their collections. This book and double disc provides ample space for each release to shine. But wait, there’s more! The deluxe edition also features a handprinted cover and various ephemera, a treasure trove to display and share, and is far and away the year’s standout in this category.
Farewell Phoenix ~ The Angels in These Fields (Ceremony of Seasons)
We’ve reviewed every release in the ongoing Ceremony of Seasons series, the latest of which pairs an autumnal cassette with an apéritif wine in a sturdy wooden box. VISUALS Wine and the artists of the Asheville music community have found a home in our hearts. We were devastated to hear of the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene; the winery escaped intact, but the surrounding area was leveled. The label’s future remains uncertain, but for now, the store remains open online.
mHz ~ Material Prosody (Room40)
The limited edition version of this album has already gone to a second printing. One may choose between six materials ~ copper, brass, aluminum, concrete, steel and wood. In the original sound sculpture, sounds were beamed directly into the corresponding block. The release emphasizes not only the tactile pleasure of a physical edition, but the properties of the materials themselves. A USB stick contains the music; one may conduct one’s own experiments at home.
Sculpture ~ Max Ax (Psyche Tropes)
Known as much for their zoetrope records as for their music, the audiovisual duo Sculpture produced yet another classic this year: four sides on two 10″ records, waiting to be set in motion with a turntable and a Smartphone app. Even without the app, the records are things of beauty, the music bouncy and beguiling.
Wil Bolton ~ Quiet Sunlight (Dronarivm)
Sometimes the smallest things make the largest impressions. Dronarivm’s little box of fall evokes the season as soon as it is opened, combining sight and scent; Wil Bolton’s Quiet Sunlight cements the association with field recordings and quiet, intricate, autumnal music. This lovely souvenir is the complete package, humble yet full.
Arrowounds ~ Therianthrope Series (Lost Tribe Sound)
The Therianthrope Series has been unfolding in digital form over the course of the past year, and is finally available in physical form as a four-disc set in LP-sized packaging. The phantasmagoric art honors classic pulp novels and films, in particular the work of H.P. Lovecraft. It would have been a crime to produce these images on CD covers alone. The bonus disc, only available in this format, cements the deal. Lost Tribe Sound is a perennial guest here, and we’re glad to have them back!
Funken ~ Daniel dans la nuit (unjenesaisquoi)
More children’s books should come with original scores, for this offering is a delight. The French-language book by Carmela Chergui and Timo Hateau arrives with a corresponding CD that reflects the story in theme and mood. Will children ask to hear the story one more time before bed, or go to sleep to the sound of the music? We suspect both.
Filax Staël ~ Traces (REV. Lab.)
The envelope is packed with ephemera: a poster, a 52-page zine of collage art, a 10″ record and more. The release is accompanied by a series of short videos. The 24 short tracks keep the mind racing and jumping. One may proceed in any direction, transforming the listening and viewing experience as one progresses. In short, Traces is a whole lot of fun.
Taylor Deupree ~ Sti.ll (greyfade/Nettwerk)
greyfade’s new FOLIO imprint offers fans the ultimate liner notes: albums discussed and dissected, explained and expounded upon. In the same way, Taylor Deupree’s Sti.ll is a reimagined version of the ambient classic Stil., translated from electronic tones to orchestral strings. Those fascinated by the process of composition are well-served by this deep dive into the process of creation.
V/A ~ Cybernetics, Or Ghosts? (Subtext)
Is A.I. a boon, a challenge, or both? This book and digital download honor Italo Calvino’s prescient lecture of the same name. Michael Salu compiled the literary anthology; James Ginzberg recruited the musicians. Prose, art and music find A.I. collaborators, complicating the interpretation while illustrating the discussion. We’re already at a point where it’s difficult to tell the two apart; next year, will an A.I. select itself for this list?
(Richard Allen)