spintheblackestcircles.org

Are record companies starting to take the piss?

Just bought a record that literally has no outer sleeve!

Recalling My Insubstantial Thoughts by Hakobune

This is the second release I have bought (the first being Vampyr) which has done so.

Do these record companies genuinely think this is cool or are they trying to hide the fact they are being tight bastards and not producing any packing. I mean I know Spencer and DW have raised the bar to another level when it comes to packaging but seriously give me a plain outer rather than no outer!

How about a photo?

Yeah why not....

This record is sublime by the way and highly recommended!

I don't know, I prefer this to a plain outer. It's more creative, more individual.

One of my favourite labels for packaging, alongside death waltz, is PAN each record is like a little piece of art.

Www.p-a-n.org

Don't get me wrong, the "inner" sleeve looks good but how do I store it? Why not put it in a cardboard sleeve to protect the record?

Same as vampyr. Go to thf trouble if producing nice artwork but then put it in a poly bag! I have another one by the humble bee which is the same but the sleeve is rigid so is ok!

Reduction of manufacturing costs and a touch of "like a test pressing" artwork smart but risky.

This'd be an interesting one for Spencer or Seb to answer, as I'm wondering if this is another problem facing vinyl labels? We all know how few pressing plants now exist, but what of the places that do the other bits - especially sleeves?
I have no idea how specialised a process sleeve cutting/printing is, but I'm fairly sure I read somewhere (maybe even on here) that there is only one place in the UK that still prints gatefolds - if this is the case, the current market (where pretty much every release/re-release is a gatefold now) must be pitting a huge strain on resources, and when the record itself takes an age and a half to press, it must be such a pain to get the record and the organised to be finished at roughly the same time as each other, and if not then it's up to the artists/labels to be a bit more creative with what they have.

Glad you mentioned PAN. I have the SND/NHK split release i forgot about and that has just a hard sleeve which is screen printed with a design.

you've put the record in a paper inner you're ruining the design aesthetic!


The printed PVC outer sleeves are also used on the LP releases which also come with a rigid card sleeve and inner sleeve.



I'm a big fan of Lee Gamble's stuff on PAN his second LP comes out next month

I get all my packaging made in tandem with the record at the same factory.

Philball Have you thought that not all labels want to spend stupid amounts of money of packaging and / or wan't to do sleeves like Vampyr because thats how they want it to look ?

There is no right or wrong when it comes to sleeves etc , it's down to the label / artist.

I think people have unreasonable expectations these days when it comes to packaging if i'm honest.

I used to but lots of emo stuff (Iconclast/ Indian Summer / Evergreen etc etc ) and I actually loved all the hand cut / hand made sleeves.....

Yeah i get that some artists have designed the sleeves, like the SND release or the humblebee, and for them it works as the sleeves are rigid and can support themsleves.

They may not want to spend stupid amounts of money, but hey, i dont particularly want to spend stupid money on records that i cant store properly so i guess were all in the same boat with that one!

Spencer how can you say "I think people have unreasonable expectations these days when it comes to packaging if i’m honest."
surely when you are paying the kind of money that we pay for some of these releases then great packaging is the expectation. Look at the DW subscription, with P&P its £190, for 6 records. I wonder how many of those you would sell if you shipped them in a poly bag with a sticker on and said thats what the label wanted to achieve!

Like Spencer said, it's all about the label's choice doing what they had in mind for the outcome of the release.

I love the handmade stuff, but on runs like ours (2-3000 copies) it would be nearly impossible time-wise.
That's why we go DIY on the limited portion of our cassette version so we can get a bit creative and put in a handmade touch.

Also, screenprinting on pvc or sleeves is not THAT cheap.

We work with 3 companies for our releases. One for the vinyl, on for the jackets and one for the insert/sticker/obi.
Cassettes are yet another company.

Logistical nightmare but for us the only way to get em right...like we want them to be.

I see what you mean and how that would be frustrating. I don't even like the sleeves picture discs come in (boo). I would hate getting an LP in a soft bag (even if it was handmade, awesome looking and unique). They could put the bag around a plain jacket. I guess it is up to you now to go order a batch of plain white (or black) jackets to put your LP in and then see if your sleeve can fit in the outter bag, if you choose to keep it. I don't think that would fit over your new jacket. Sucks to spend more money, but at least your vinyl would be protected.

I guess I might be the opposite. I like really small thin sleeves. I want to see the cover and I want the music and thats it. I love buying older German and UK pressings because the sleeves are so thin. Also that way I can store a lot more on the shelf. Plus I would rather the focus be on the audio quality and less on the packaging.