Album Release: Oct 2017
I’ve been lucky to participate in the evolution of this fantastic musical duo, and it was a thrilling experience to help bring to life their newest album in 2017, as well as their coming live release.
The Album:
Benjamin & Mia worked meticulously during the writing and recording process for Gypsy’s Moonlight Motel. We shared ideas and brainstormed during multiple listening sessions while the album was coming together. As the designer for the album art, but also for the live show visuals and packaging, having a seat at the table from such early stages in the recording process was a treat.
One major factor was that we were able to do the photoshoot for the album before the name was decided. The art and the album were able to feed into each other and grow together; rather than one side dictating the needs of the other.
Here are some of the images from our shoot. The album art concept was still vague at this stage, but the ideas of “journey” and “travel” were key themes Benjamin and Mia wanted to incorporate.
With the above images in hand, the album could take its final shape with name and art together. We printed the chosen shots at good sizes, hung them on the walls, and let them rest and enrich the studio during the final weeks of the recording and mastering process.
Here are some videos we put together near the end of recording as the final songs were locked into place.
Being this involved in the early creative process on my end allowed for flexibility and the room to explore many mediums; not only with the photoshoot and album art, but subsequent live recording stage setup and videos.
The Live Show:
Early work for the live show coincided with the album’s production wrap. While they finished mastering, I was already rolling on the planning and production of the stage. They wanted something that felt personal, and familiar, but also something new that they hadn’t tried before. Our budget was also minimal, which factored into the materials and resource choices.
Using a variety of materials, making the setup feel hand-crafted with heavy textures and lots of scrap wood for a DIY aesthetic, but also being limited by the size of the space, meant that the execution would need some creative problem solving. What resulted was a magical night for all involved after weeks of work on the setup, and months of work before that on the last leg of the album production.
The Live Album:
IndieGoGo backers and guests had a great evening experiencing songs from the new album and some unreleased tracks. The event went off without a hitch. A particularly special event, occasion, and a turning point for Benjamin and Mia. Here is the album art for the live record.
The album is scheduled for release in the first half of 2019 alongside live videos that we have put together from the evening. More to come.
Check Azalea’s site for more updates and plenty more music: azaleamusic.net
Evan 02-02-19