The Spill Canvas — Hivemind (Available 7/20)
Hello! June has been a month of learning, reaching past my comfort zone, and getting some deeply needed and much-deserved rest. This month saw me letting go of a few things, which was bittersweet in so many ways. One of the things I had to let pass me by was the chance to design another album cover for my dear friend Nick Thomas of The Spill Canvas.
He has been working hard for endless months putting together what is about to be a new album, first released in a three-song collection called "Hivemind." When he asked for my help in designing the cover back in March, I was swamped and had to say no.
But in my month of rest, I decided to come back to the project and design the sketch that's been humming around in my brain for three months. See below for a mockup of what I had in mind. I love what the band came up with, a beautiful watercolor expression of the "humming brain" the title and my afore mentioned feeling described, so I'm content just designing this one for myself.
The album cover features a honeycomb in the shape of a brain (or is it a brain in the shape of a honeycomb?), with two bees circling the outside. The two bees are representative of the duality of personality — the inner motivator and the inner saboteur, two characters that have a huge tug-of-war in the lyrics of this album. This "bee-brain" design takes place in the silhouette of an ancient philosopher, (Even/especially the most elevated of minds have the most tormented brains.) The inside sleeve features a fully blown-out wrap of the honeycomb texture, while the record is translucent gold, with real honey drips pressed into the vinyl itself. (Bayside once made a vinyl with coffee grounds pressed in! It makes the room smell like coffee when it's being played!) I love this design, and it feels great to finally get this mental sketch published!
I go back to working full speed and full time next week, and I'm so grateful for this time I've been given to rest, reflect, and recharge. Cheers to so many new things happening, and super-big-exciting cheers to the release of Spill's newest album adventure, Hivemind, available 7/20.
Oh, and to all my ATLiens, they're kicking off their summer tour in our city at the Masq in Underground, and I would love to see you there. You happen to know a guy who can help make it happen. (It me.)
Cheers to summer! Wear sunscreen.