Windswept Adan
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Windswept Adan is the seventh studio album by Japanese singer-songwriter Ichiko Aoba, released on 2 December 2020 by her label, Hermine. Conceived as a soundtrack for an imaginary film, the concept album follows the story of a young girl who is sent away to the fictional island of Adan, and was written, composed, arranged, and produced by Aoba and composer Taro Umebayashi. The album blends chamber folk and psychedelic folk with elements of jazz, classical, and ambient music, marking a shift from Aoba's earlier minimalist style. The album was preceded by one single, "Porcelain", which was released on 30 October 2020. Windswept Adan received widespread acclaim from critics, who praised its arrangements, instrumentation, and worldbuilding. To support the album globally, Aoba embarked on her first international tour, performing in the United Kingdom, Europe, and North America between August and October 2022. (Full article...)
Red
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Red is the fourth studio album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, released on October 22, 2012, by Big Machine Records. Its songs portray the complex and conflicting feelings that result from fading romance, and combines pop, country, and rock, using acoustic instruments alongside synths and drum machines. Red was supported by a world tour, the Red Tour (2013–2014), and seven singles; "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" peaked atop the US Billboard Hot 100, and "I Knew You Were Trouble" reached the top ten in Australasia and Europe. Critics praised Swift's songwriting for its emotional exploration and engagement but were divided on the musical styles, with some calling them inconsistent and questioning Swift's identity as a country artist. The album was nominated for Album of the Year and Best Country Album at the 2014 Grammy Awards, and topped the charts in Australasia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. (Full article...)
Album covers of Blue Note Records
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The album covers of Blue Note Records, an American jazz record label, have been recognized for their distinctive designs, which often feature bold colors, experimental typography, and candid photographs of the album's musicians, and are described as belonging to the Bauhaus and Swiss Style movements. In the early 1950s, artists like Gil Mellé, Paul Bacon, and John Hermansader designed Blue Note's earliest album covers. In 1956, Reid Miles was hired as Blue Note's art director, creating 400 to 500 covers with a unique style incorporating diverse typefaces and design principles such as asymmetry and tinting. After Miles left in 1967, artists like Mati Klarwein and Bob Venosa took over. Designers such as Norman Seeff and Bob Cato contributed in the 1970s, while Japanese artists created new covers for reissues in the late 1970s and 1980s. From the mid-1980s onward, artists like Paula Scher and Adam Pendleton have designed covers, with Miles' work remaining highly influential. (Full article...)