Marshall Poole's "Pasadena" Album Identity & Packaging

The Challenge

A touring musical act required a comprehensive, high-status physical identity system for their landmark vinyl release. The project demanded a designer who could translate an expansive, complex sonic narrative into a tactile, retail-ready consumer artifact. Operationally, the primary challenge was engineering a complex, continuous multi-panel graphic composition that could survive rigorous pre-press print standards, precise mathematical folding lines, and manufacturing die-cuts without breaking the visual narrative continuity.

The Strategy

Tactile Narrative Architecture: Expanded a single, high-density digital illustration into a continuous, six-panel physical layout strategy. I meticulously mapped the visual flow across both the "Outside Full Spread" and "Inside Full Spread" to ensure a flawless geometric transition from front cover to back panel.

Dual-Discipline Brand Alignment: Leveraged my background in audio production and multimedia design to serve as the structural link between the artist's conceptual vision and mechanical print output. This approach guaranteed that the custom typography and spatial layout mirrored the intensity of the commercial asset while preserving a tailored, premium aesthetic.

Pre-Press Manufacturing Coordination: Managed the technical production pipeline, adapting complex digital files to strict industry print specifications. This involved setting precise bleed lines, crop marks, and color-profile separations to eliminate distortion during the physical manufacturing, embossing, and assembly process.

Back/Front Cover Art

Inside Sleeve Liner Notes & Album Credits

The Impact

Delivered a premium, turn-key physical asset that served as the commercial flagship for the client’s album launch and regional marketing campaign. The meticulous layout strategy resulted in a flawless print run with zero production errors, providing the client with a high-margin retail product that elevated their brand equity and established a lasting physical legacy.

The Extracurricular

Following the successful delivery of the print assets, the client retained me to direct and animate the album's lead music video, translating the continuous visual identity into a dynamic, motion-graphic campaign asset.