Duke Special //Oh Pioneer / by This Modern Love

Thought we'd show some different work today..

It's a privilege to have been involved in the wonderful world of Duke Special since it's beginning. I'm proud of the years of artwork produced as a result of a long-term collaboration with the brilliant design mind that is Sparks. Together we've designed and art-worked nearly every Duke Special book, CD, DVD, t-shirt, box-set, poster, badge and coffee mug out there.

Which brings us to Duke Special's latest studio album 'Oh Pioneer'. Partly inspired by a Will Cather novel of the same name, it's a very personal collection of songs on themes of adventure, exploration & the search for meaning. Inspired by the maps of old explorers, the CD design includes a fold out sea-chart where each song is its own typographical island to explore.

We made most of the album and promo photographs in a very cold February field, just outside Belfast. We had to shoot quickly, with frozen hands and wet feet, in the last of the winter sun. Turns out we'd make pretty bad explorers.

This is a brilliant record. You can get it from iTunes here.

& here's a previous post about making a Duke Special animation.

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