Kavinsky
There are clear relationships in the 1980s inspired aesthetic Kavinsky uses both sonically and visually. An example is the way the type used for his logo is very similar to the typography used on the original MTV logo, which launched in August 1981 and came to define a shift in pop culture to an age where the music video rose to prominence.
This ’80s aesthetic’ can be defined as postmodern. The version we see today has been heavily influenced by leading radical designers of the era, The Memphis Group. This is where we see the use of bright colour and bold patterns that came to influence graphic design of the time.
The title of the album itself is a nod to the 1986 Sega arcade game of the same name.
Kavinsky’s album artwork and music videos even feature the same Ferrari Testarossa Spider as the one featured in the original game. This enhances the 1980s nostalgia fed by the synth heavy music.
In fact, Kavinsky has even released his own video game which heavily features the hallmarks of a retro 80s style. From it’s triangular shapes and Memphis influenced graphics, to the neon signs plastered all over the virtual city.
Jason Galea’s Art Directon For King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Jason Galea’s artwork for Australian psych rock band King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard clearly draws influence from the original psychedelic artwork of the 60s. Despite being a more contemporary incarnation of the genre, Galea Captures a similar aesthetic to reflect the overall feel of the music.
Obvious comparisons can be made to these classic psych album covers in terms of the choice of bright colours, art style, layout and typography used.
Galea also works on producing music videos for the band including this animation for ‘The River’.
The psychedelic animation style and the inclusion of the yellow aeroplane at the end of the video made me wonder if this was a nod to The Beatles Yellow Submarine animation.
Comparisons could also be drawn to the ‘Pink Elephants on Parade’ scene in Disney’s 1941 movie, Dumbo.
This scene is said to be heavily influenced by surrealist artthat was at it’s peak in the couple of decades prior to the films release. This relationship can also be seen throughout the Yellow Submarine animation. There is a particularly obvious nod to Salvador Dali’s The Persistence of Memory.
The Persistence of Memory – Salvador Dali 1931
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