The Sound of Twin Town 3LP set
LP No. 1, back and front sides. Notice the semi-transparent tape that held the 3LP-package together
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Saarbrücken-based electronic music label Twin Town Production (founded 9/11/2001), Nicolas Molina and Stachy.DJ have put together The Sound of Twin Town: Tribute Mix Pt. I. This compilation package is now available to both home listeners and DJs and offers the remastered tracks from the DJ mix in full length on vinyl.
Twin Town Production marked its two-decade anniversary in 2021 with a best-of compilation released in two parts. Pt. I covers the years 2001–2011 and comes as a 3LP limited edition physical release, while Pt. II, focusing on 2011–2021, is available exclusively in digital formats. This distinction in formats reflects the evolution of the music industry and the label’s shift towards digital distribution, which has become a significant part of their business since 2011.
The 3LP set, representing Pt. I, is an engaging package. Three individual LPs are bound together by a custom 2-color-printed adhesive tape bearing the infinitely scrolling inscription: “the city where the sickest music is played that you’ve never heard before because you’re always looking for…”. Each LP within the set represents a distinct phase in Twin Town’s musical journey, collectively narrating the label’s first decade.
The design leans heavily on typography, complemented by selective illustrations. The records themselves are printed in distinctive spot colors — blue PMS 282 for the covers and red PMS 188 for the inner sleeves. The overarching theme is a journey through twenty years of pop culture milestones, featuring icons such as the original iPod Click Wheel, the launch of Windows XP, and the rise of Wikipedia.
Print facts: Production on bright white Chromoboard Extra (Cover 350g, Inner sleeves 245g), printed 1/0, matt varnish.
The typographic concept is centered around the variable font Pirelli, which had just been released at the time. Apart from the newspaper-masthead-like (Hey, NYT!) appearance of Respira Black on the third LP, Pirelli is used throughout the entire project in various widths, switching between stenciled and solid cuts. Most often, Pirelli B is used.
The digital cover artworks borrow from the imagery of the LP release and open up a new context. Their composition aligns with other digital releases from Twin Town, but they bring in some unique elements.
The Sound of Twin Town: Tribute Mix Pt. II is a digital-only release that evolves the artwork of the third LP. It combines the Escher-style infinite staircase with the infinite watch face of LP No. 1, merging the front and back sides of the 3LP package into a new artwork. This design symbolically wraps up the entire saga, merging elements from throughout the 20-year journey and bringing the tribute to a cohesive conclusion.
The Sound of Twin Town: Tribute Mix is more than just a collection of tracks; it is a homage to the label’s journey and its impact on the electronic music landscape over the past twenty years.
LP No. 1 detail view — the red inner sleeves in contrast to the blue outer sleeves. Notice the graphic designer’s weapon of choice
LP No. 2, Game Over! Back and front sides
LP No. 3, back and front sides. The 3LP-package concludes with a NYT-esque newspaper front page summarizing of September 2011, the month Twin Town was born. An infinite calendar and an endless staircase look into the future. Notice how the climbing letters turn the TT slogan “always looking for” into “still looking for”
LPs No. 1–3, front sides of inner sleeves. The first TT release was “on a mission”. TT still is “on air”
The LP labels first hit the right spot, move through a clockwork and then boost into infinity
“The Sound of Twin Town: Tribute Mix Pt. I” digital release artwork. Also released with amazing animation support by Keine Zeit Medien
“The Sound of Twin Town: Tribute Mix Pt. I”, digital release artwork
