Finn Coren – Lovecloud
Record covers – Bard Records 1998–1999
Made in Subtopia
Record covers – Bard Records 1998–1999
Made in Subtopia
I’ve had the pleasure of designing all Finn Coren covers since we met on the Blake Project back in 1996. Our second project together was the psychedelic "Lovecloud". Finn has written all of the lyrics here, besides three. The album is dedicated to William Blake, William Butler Yeats and John Lennon. The three lyrics, of course, are poems by Blake and Yeats – and a Lennon cover.
The design for the "Lovecloud" album and it's singles is based around digital treatment of photos. I was given video footage as source material, and decided to enhance interlacing stripes and pixel patterns instead of hiding them. This look was combined with pasted typography and other elements going several rounds through the scanner to achieve textures. Some art by accident was also welcome: A fax error when Finn transferred his handwritten lyrics created some beautiful effects. It is most prominently used on "The Smile" and the "Everything and More" image/poster.
Finn's face is used for all the front covers. Two of them are video images, but the third – "The Smile" – is a childhood photo. This blurry photo radiates the same distance as the video images, especially when overlayed with effects. The distance/detachment suits the psychedelic melancholia of the music.
"Lovecloud" CD album – front cover
"Lovecloud" CD album – back cover
"Lovecloud" CD album – opened jewelcase
"Lovecloud" inlay card – inside (the print behind the CD). With "hidden" messages for those who look – the small texts to the left and right are on the inside of the spine.
"Lovecloud" – CD album – booklet spreads
"The Smile" CD single
"Riverboatman" / "A Christmas Blessing" CD EP — front cover above and opened jewelcase below. All surfaces can be viewed upside down too. This mirror-like / dual design is done because of the "split A side". It's inspired by reflections in water, and Finn's "Riverboatman" lyrics.
"Everything and More" — "Lovecloud" booklet detail & poster
Finn Coren – Lovecloud releases:
"Riverboatman"/"A Christmas Blessing" CD EP (BACDSX-3) — Bard Records, November 23 1998
"The Smile" CD single (BACDSX-4) — Bard Records, August 16 1999
"Lovecloud" CD album (BACD-3) — Bard Records, October 25 1999
"Riverboatman"/"A Christmas Blessing" CD EP (BACDSX-3) — Bard Records, November 23 1998
"The Smile" CD single (BACDSX-4) — Bard Records, August 16 1999
"Lovecloud" CD album (BACD-3) — Bard Records, October 25 1999
Photos by Nils-Arne Øvergård, Finn Coren, Nils Chr. Hamsund Boberg, Bjørn William Lindgren, Guri Dahl, Knut E. Wang and Stein J. Øvre —— Photos of Finn age two & seven: Private collection —— Art direction by Stein J. Øvre & Finn Coren —— Design by Stein J. Øvre, Subtopia
