GMK Retrospective 2024: Striking a Chord
This year, music and design collided in the most iconic ways! From striking album covers to unforgettable record label visuals, we’re spotlighting the designs for music projects that captured your attention in 2024. These articles were your top picks!
1. Behind the Visuals of Sun Eater

When talking about Sun Eater as a record label, we can't overlook the visual design of its physical and digital releases, merchandise, and social media content, which are always different and progressive. The figure behind Sun Eater's artistic decisions is Sahid Permana, who serves as Content & Creative Head. To Grafis Masa Kini, Sahid shares the creative process of Sun Eater, which revolves around storytelling from the musician to the listener.
2. Following the Journey of SORE's Album Covers and the Stories Behind Them

The music of the band SORE has grown over time as a cross-medium inspiration: literature, cinema, and of course, graphic design. The visuals on SORE's album covers are also a significant legacy of the late Ade Paloh, vocalist and guitarist of SORE, who sadly passed on March 19th. Speaking to Grafis Masa Kini, Awan Garnida, bass player and vocalist of SORE, shares his memories of the process of designing SORE's album covers, from Centralismo to Quo Vadis, SORE?
3. MALIQ & D’Essentials Captures Emotion and Phenomena in Can Machines Fall In Love? Album Cover

On May 30, 2024, MALIQ & D’Essentials released their ninth album,Can Machines Fall In Love?Following a year-long workshop that began in June 2023, the band unveiled seven tracks, including two singles that have captivated many: "Kita Bikin Romantis" and "Aduh." Not only are MALIQ & D’Essentials' songs enchanting, but the album's cover art has also sparked conversation, igniting curiosity about what the band is trying to convey when discussing the seemingly contradictory concepts of machines and falling in love.
4. The Relationship Between Music and Nature in Forestra's Visual Identity by POT Branding House

The serene sounds of an orchestra amidst the lush and cool forest setting is the unique experience offered by the Forestra (Forest Orchestra) music concert, held at Orchid Forest Cikole, Lembang. Returning to nature—audiences can immerse themselves in the interplay of various musical instruments crafted from natural elements, brought to life through human skill. This connection between music, nature, and human senses at the Forestra concert has been translated into a visual identity by POT Branding House, a brand design consultancy based in Bandung. To Grafis Masa Kini, Bayu Rengga, Creative Director of POT Branding House, shared the creative process behind the visual identity design for Forestra 2024.
5. Behind the Design of the Reissued Darah Muda

Indonesian record label Elevation Records has reissued theDarah Mudaalbum, soundtrack of the filmDarah Mudawhich first screened in 1977. Not only an actor in the cast of the film, Rhoma Irama also took part as a musician on this album. First released as a vinyl record, the cover of the album showcases the faces of the film’s characters and a few snapshots of the scenes with a strong retro ambience. Ramzi Firhad and Lody Adrian are the people behind this album’s visual design.