Concept Neuf – Concept Neuf album art

Artwork for the self-titled debut album by Concept Neuf. Sleeve concept and photography by Richard Provençal, cover painting by France Malo.

This record by the Montreal band is mostly samba and jazz-funk covers of artists such as Chuck Magione and Ralph McDonald. The type used on the front is Premier Shaded, the notes are in Helvetica, and on the insert notes Aki Lines can be also found.

The fonts work well in fitting in with the albums sonic qualities, especially looking back from the current day. It’s easy to tell that this record is from the 1970s just by looking at the use of Premier Shaded on the front cover. An unremarkable choice for the time; fitting for an album of average samba covers. A lot of albums from this time fit a similar concept – popular songs but make it (insert genre) – and use similar typefaces. I think that Premier Shaded works well with the kitschy and surrealist oil pastel illustration of an endless marimba in the desert on the front.

Tech-house DJ Ninetoes sampled their cover of “The Path” for his track “Finder”, which has since gone on to become both an Ibiza staple and soccer ultras anthem in the North Curve section of Celtic Park, Glasgow. This is where I first encountered this record personally, and I think it’s quite funny to think about how an unremarkable samba cover of a Ralph McDonald song can go on to become a stadium anthem albeit 40 years down the line!

France Malo, the cover’s artist, is still making work.