The vinyl designs of this screamo, hardcore & punk label are probably not what you'd expect...
The label puts as much thought and passion into its artwork as it does the music itself
The music business may be mainly about downloads these days, but a decent album cover design remains vital to the success of a new release. Every week, we bring you our favourite album art of the week and normally we focus on a single cover - but this time we're showcasing something a little bit special.
Independent record label Dog Knights Productions was started back in 2010. Based in Brighton, it specialises mainly in screamo, hardcore and punk, and it's produced some of the most beautiful vinyl designs we've ever come across.
They often feature illustrations on the records themselves as well as the sleeve
"I always try to put as much effort into the presentation of each release as possible," explains founder Darren Harvey. "It's cool when someone’s excited to get their order from Dog Knights, and when it arrives they think 'wow, this is pretty nice' and feel like taking photos and sharing it with their friends. Hopefully most releases of mine stay in people’s collections and not traded off or in bargain bins."
More than one design is often created for a release
The label focus on treating their customers right, with plenty of treats and enticing free gifts. All orders come with free stickers and at least one digital download code for a random Dog Knights release. Basically, the more you order, the more free stuff you get.
The records are ridiculously good value for money, ranging from £3.99 to £9.99 depending on the EP or LP format. There are also deluxe versions, t-shirts and tote bags all with impeccable designs sprawled across them.
They love their bright coloured records and so do we
"Obviously the actual music is the most important thing about a release, but it's great to give the customer their money's worth," Hayward continues. "Personally, I like buying a record that also has memorable artwork and interesting vinyl colours that complement each other."
The designs of Dog Knights Productions will have you falling in love with vinyl all over again
Each record is designed to suit the release - reflecting the bands outputs and complementing the brand of each band perfectly. Giving it that Dog Knights Productions touch is just the icing on the cake.
"There’s a label called Denovali that seems to press every release as a 2xLP on 180 gram vinyl and with gatefold jackets; one of my goals for Dog Knights is to get to that level but for now, I’m happy working with bands that I love and pressing quality looking records at a price that people can afford," Harvey concludes.
