Artist: Keramick & Lobo
Album: The Braille
Label: Exogenic Breaks
Year: 2009
Designer: Antti Heikkinen

Antti Heikkinen created this clean and playful packaging for Keramick & Lobo, an electroacoustic band from Helsinki, Finland.

“The wonderful electroacoustic band Keramick & Lobo released their second album “The Braille” in August 2009. I designed their visual identity including band logo, album packaging and advertising. The typography that appears on the logo and album tracks is custom made for this project. I wanted to stay true to the albums theme, so I designed the cover to be full white, only having braille text on it.”

Sleevage

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Unified Manufacturing is a custom CD/DVD and Vinyl Manufacturing facility based on both sides of the US. Our clients are indie artists to major label artists such as Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow, and Ringo Starr. If you need a Instant Quote on a project now or something you are thinking of in the future AND you want FREE SHIPPING ( free shipping on all quotes from the blog) – Then CLICK HERE.

We are one of the CD manufacturing companies in California that offer green alternatives in CD manufacturing, DVD manufacturing, and printing. From the products and services we offer to our day-to-day operation, we make sure that we do our share to prevent the fast destruction of Mother Earth.

Here are some of our green efforts.

100% Wind Energy. We are one of the first media manufactures to provide the majority of manufacturing in 100% wind-driven facilities in all aspects of production.

Eco CD Cases. We have a big collection of eco-wallets, eco jewel cases, CD mailers, CD jackets, and other eco-friendly cases. Most of our cases are made of recycled material and are lighter compared to virgin CD/DVD cases.

Soy Based Inks. We use soy-based inks. Soy based inks are made of soy beans and are greener alternatives to the regular petroleum-based inks that most CD manufacturing companies use. They also have more vibrant colors compared to petroleum.

Online Project Management. No need to burn a copy of your files, no need to pay for shipping. We are currently working on our Project Management Site where customers can place their orders, upload artwork and music files directly to our server. Not only does this make things faster and easier for both Unified and the customers, it also minimizes carbon footprint and shipping costs.

Local Plants. Unified Manufacturing is based in California but it has plenty of other plants in other states across America. This minimizes carbon footprint since customers who want to check actual production, or who wants to submit requirements directly, need not travel all the way to the head plant. Aside from that, it also minimizes shipping fee and supports the local community.

Give-back projects. This may not be part of the green movement but it is worth mentioning here. In 2011, we will give a portion of our profits to hardworking non-profit organizations to help local communities and to help the environment thrive. When you create your order, you will be asked to choose from a list of 100 or so charity institutions.

We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking(doing) if mankind is to survive.  ~Albert Einstein

On Saturday, April 16th, independently owned record stores across the country will once again celebrate the culture of the record store with their customers and friends with Record Store Day! The worldwide event, now annual, and in its fourth year, stands as a remarkable testimony to the dedication, not only of the indie record store owner, but also to the artists and fans that have kept this unique and passionate culture going.

Since 2008, participating stores have celebrated Record Store Day, and have been supported by artists, who chimed in with resounding in-store performances, special product and supportive quotes and, perhaps most importantly, the music fans who make it out to their favorite record store and take advantage of all the big day has to offer.

The impact and success of Record Store Day has proven more profound with each passing year, 2010 boasting unprecedented sales figures: the more than 1,400 participating stores worldwide having trumped the previous Saturday by more than 100% with sales of special and exclusive product and merchandise and prompting Chief Organizer Michael Kurtz’s very rock n’ roll (but very true within context) quote, “Record Store Day is bigger than Christmas!”

Record Store Day 2010 even caught the attention of Saturday Night Live that very evening with Seth Meyers taking a good natured poke at the event on “Weekend Update,” not to mention coverage from other worthwhile outlets like NPR, USA TODAY, ROLLING STONE and the ASSOCIATED PRESS, among others.

This year’s event will undoubtedly be yet another step up for Record Store Day, and news about special releases, new products, events and more will be coming soon!

For more information on exclusive Record Store Day events, products and participants, visit www.recordstoreday.com.

We here at Unified just love the word NEW.  “New” generally means that something is freshly made. A new CD, a new gadget, a new pair of shoes. It also means that something has changed -a new outlook, a new plan, a new purpose. New means freshness and hope and a new chance to become better.

Here are the NEW things we have for this year.

Social Giving. We decided to GIVE BACK in 2011! We will give a portion of our profits to hardworking non-profit organizations to help local communities and to help the environment thrive. When you create your order, you will be asked to choose from our list of 100 or so charity institutions. If your favorite organization is not included on our list, you can add them and we will contact them to see about how we can get involved.

Project Management Site. We are about to give birth to an online tool that will make order processing a LOT easier for you. It comprises 7 easy steps which include the Paperwork (IPR Form), Artwork, Project information, Shipping, and Payment. You also have the option to submit your songs to the site.

More products. We have more than 100 products (CD/DVD cases, accessories mostly) added to our catalog. Do check em out! Whether you just want blank CD cases or you want the whole package, we have it all for you!

More Custom Packaging options. Many people are contacting us for the custom cases they see on our blog. Some of them are not from our store but are made by students and freelance designers. We contacted some of them so we can become the official distributor in the US. In a month or two, we will add more custom-made CD/DVD/Vinyl cases that will surely make any project stand-out. Plus, most of them are Eco.

We constantly challenge ourselves to be MORE than just a company and to do MORE than just manufacture products! Sooo…expect more!

Cheers!

If you are into metal music and graphic design, NORTHER and Metal Hammer magazine wants you. The Finnish melodic death metal band NORTHER and Metal Hammer magazine have teamed up to give you the chance to create the artwork for the upcoming NORTHER album, “Circle Regenerated”, which is set for an early 2011 release.

“This time we wanted to do something different with our upcoming album artwork. We wanted to involve our fans in a creative way!”

Now, this is a perfect example of a band’s creative effort on promotion and cutting-down CD manufacturing costs.

For those interested, you can submit your work to Century Media until October 15th. The band and Century Media will select the top 10 candidates, who will enter the next stage of the contest which will be a public voting on Century Media‘s home page. There you’ll be able to vote for the best cover artwork until October 31st. The artwork which gets the most votes will be selected as our next album cover.

The album will be named ‘Circle Regenerated’, so the cover should somehow reflect that theme.

“In addition to the first prize, Metal Hammer offers some great prizes for the four runner-ups which will include, [in addition] to an exclusive meet-and-greet, tons of other goodies. You can check out the full list at this location.

* Submit your cover-artwork with your name, address and phone number to: competition@centurymedia.de (subject line: NORTHER contest) before October 15. The cover artwork must be delivered with the right specifications, which are spelled out at this location.

Are you hustling enough? Are you working as hard as you could? Are you working your artists as hard as you can? Are they doing everything they can? Are you making sure that your team is working hard? Are your manager and your lawyers working as hard as you are?

Business is tough. Business is not just tough–it’s mega-tough. Don’t be fooled. Forget about everything else. Its a hustle. If you are not hustling, then it’s going to be a tough road for you.

What is hustle? I don’t mean this type of hustle. I mean this type. Many may not know this about me, but I have a platinum record for working with A&M/Geffen/Interscope on the Keyshia Cole record, The Way It Is, back in 2005.   I managed the songwriter and one of the producers on the record. Getting there was not easy. But that’s not this story. The main producer on the album was Damon Elliott, the title producer was Kanye West, and the artist was Keyshia Cole. This is where I really learned what the word hustle meant. I had thought I worked hard in the past, but I learned a thing or two on this project.

I grew up in a working class neighborhood, but nothing compared to how Keyshia Cole grew up. She lost her parents at a young age and had looked after herself from the age of eleven.

I would arrive at Enterprise Studios around 9 a.m. everyday to find both Keyshia and the producer still in the studio from the night before. They had started at 6:00 a.m., had finished at 3:00 a.m., and had not left! She did this for four months. I never saw her arrive late. I never saw her complain. I never heard her party. This was it for her. She hustled. Everything she did, she did 100%. She took everything ultra-seriously and that allowed her to compete with those above and around her. At that time, she was just another artist in a studio.  But she worked harder than anyone else in the room, and she understood that the career path she was on was a marathon and not a sprint. And she had the stamina to keep going. She never stopped growing and believing in herself. She did not come from money, and she did not get any handouts. She did this with 100% blood, sweat and tears.

Keyshia Cole totally inspired me. If she can do it, you can do it. It takes just one song, one chance meeting, one hit, one artist, one booking. It can happen that quickly. I’ve seen it and I’ve got something hanging on my wall to prove it. Let this be the day that we hustle.

Unified Manufacturing’s unique blend of products and services allow bands across the broad spectrum of music to reach more fans.  We have done projects for  Maroon 5, Tenacious D, Obama Campaign, Fear Factory, Nine Inch Nails, Testament, Black Angels, Herman Dune, Kataklysm, Tapped the Movie, and many others. Check em’ out!

VINYL

Attractive, unique, and memorable vinyl is one of Unified Manufacturing’s signature products.

DIGIPACKS

Digipaks and jewel cases provide a canvas for bands and designers to display their product. The clean, well-polished look of the paper packaging instantly adds sophistication to your album or DVD.

CDs

We have collaborated with many artists to come up with CD packaging that not only serves its basic function(containing and protecting CDs) but also as a venue for creativity for the artists and, possibly, an extension of the musicians’ personality.

DVDs

We made a cardboard sleeve for “Tapped” that is made of 100% recycled material. The CD Cardboard sleeve and disc art is printed with pure soy-based ink.

Special Boxes

This disc packaging, spearheaded by Unified Manufacturing, is one of the most unique ever created. It features gold trim on the cover, and a box enclosure reminiscent of sacred text. The box opens like a book, and inside contains the jewel case itself with a three dimensional cover. Also inside are a pack of Tenacious D trading cards and a medallion keepsake.

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Unified Manufacturing is a custom CD/DVD and Vinyl Manufacturing facility based on both sides of the US. Our clients are indie artists to major label artists such as Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow, and Ringo Starr. If you need a Instant Quote on a project now or something you are thinking of in the future AND you want FREE SHIPPING ( free shipping on all quotes from the blog) – Then CLICK HERE.

If you’re a Music Packaging designer, Merch/ Band Shirt designer, Indie Music person who thinks he can share something worthwhile on our blog…then we’d like to feature you and your works!

Let Me See Your Package features one person and one kick-ass packaging(CD, LP, DVD) weekly. It never hurts to get more web exposure, trust me.  And no, we do not want to milk your indie money so you do not have to pay us like what other review/feature blogs do. 

If you think you have good designs or if you know someone who has, don’t hesitate to contact us or email me directly ( marion@unifiedmanufacturing.com). We would love to do a quick interview with you about your works. You can share to us  your techniques, tips, and even your source of inspiration!

Come on now, don’t be shy. Show the whole world (wibe web) what you’ve got!

Unified Manufacturing just finished a vinyl release for Fear Factory, the all-time monster of dark metal, titled Mechanize. Unified collaborated with Candlelight Records and Paula Hogan, one of the pioneer female record label directors and one of the greatest in the business, in making this dark but very tasteful package.

`Mechanize’ is the first new album in five years from Fear Factory and that is one of the reasons why this album is special.  Another reason is that they revamped the line-up, including the return of original guitarist Dino Cazares and programmer/producer Rhys Fulber (Front Line Assembly) so expect their songs to be grittier and blaring with passion.

Check out the Fear Factory’s myspace for more details about the Mechanize.

We recently produced an eco- friendly DVD for the environmental documentary,Tapped the Movie by Atlas Films. Because of the independent film company’s advocacy, Atlas Films collaborated with Unified Manufacturing in making 100% eco-friendly DVD packaging.

We made a cardboard sleeve that is made of 100% recycled material. The CD Cardboard sleeve and disc art is printed with pure soy-based ink. Unlike traditional petroleum-based ink, the natural components of soy-based ink make it more eco-friendly and make recycling paper easier. In an effort to avis plastic shrink wrap, Unified Manufacturing opted for a wafer seal.

Tapped illustrates the impact of the global water crisis on America and what individuals can do to enact change sooner rather than later. Tapped examines the role of the bottled water industry and its effects on our health, climate change, pollution, and our reliance on oil.

The materials used for Green packaging usually costs a little higher than the ones used in making standard packaging. We admire those companies and individuals who are willing to sacrifice a few cents in order to eliminate the damage done by plastics and other harmful chemicals to the planet.

Do check it out!

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Unified Manufacturing is a custom CD/DVD and Vinyl Manufacturing facility based on both sides of the US. Our clients are indie artists to major label artists such as Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow, and Ringo Starr. If you need a Instant Quote on a project now or something you are thinking of in the future AND you want FREE SHIPPING ( free shipping on all quotes from the blog) – Then CLICK HERE.