The New Time. An Incomplete History. Full 6-Panel Layout.

When John Davidson of The New Time approached us to design the artwork for their new (Nathan-Johnson-produced) EP record, An Incomplete History, I was thrilled; partly because I love their unique sound, but also because of the somewhat bizarre and intriguing design ideas John had for the album artwork. We talked about creating the artwork as a sort of “false history” of the last century where the stylistic divisions of the past decades are all mashed together in a mysterious/parallel/anachronous history.

We started talking back and forth to each other in the form of visual references we both liked: from soviet propaganda, to twenties deco, atomic fifties sci-fi, turn-of-the-century broadsides, antique medical engravings, and many more. Then, as a glue to bind these disparate elements together, we became intrigued by the symbology of secret societies (e.g. the Masonic Order), which seemed to function as a sort of constructed impenetrability that was perfect for our project.