Luke Miller: Brand + Motion Designer
In the fall of 2023, I bought 100 used 7-inch vinyl singles, ranging in age, and genre. Inspired by both the music itself and the beauty of this medium, I wondered how I could make use of these discarded discs. Outlined below is how I breathed new life into these records as a new product through detail and aesthetics, storytelling, and intrigue.
After an internship at a bespoke box factory in Sweden, I developed a profound appreciation for crafted paper goods. As an avid vinyl listener, I love intentional and detailed packaging, so I focused on this first to add value to this product. I produced the pacakging using a riso printer and letterpress, adding a tactile element of delight.
Riso-printed sleeves
When I imagined someone unpacking these records for the first time, I wanted them to have a carefully curated experience. I paid close attention to the pacing, making sure I didn’t overwhelm (or underwhelm) the user. I carefully crafted the copy on the sleeves to help set the intended tone for the product, and I added a die-cut sleeve to introduce a visually engaging interactive element when removing the outer sleeve.
When I finished the art, I still felt like something was missing. I had designed a thorough packaging system even down to the very discs themselves—there wasn’t any way you could determine what song was etched into the grooves without listening to it. To add to this intrigue, I decided to incorporated 7 unique hidden ciphers on each set (21 total ciphers) that the user could decode to reveal secret messages.
Binary
Caesarean shift cipher
I ended up creating about 90 copies of these records. I submitted them to CURIO, a BYU Design Department pop-up shop that sells curated items. The records sold successfully, and I received multiple student awards for my design work on this project.
Psst. If you want a copy, I might have some extras. Email me.