In 2021 I was commissioned by DJ duo Paul Boex and Dave Miller, better known as Abstract Division, to create artwork that would translate their debut album to a sleeve design.

The holy grail for every DJ is the all-nighter. Debut album 'Midnight Ensemble' pays homage to that.

Starting with calm tunes in an empty venue, gradually increasing the tempo to get your own audience ready for the climax. Then, taking responsibility for the comedown, that phase where the club, captivated by the vibe, leans back into the night. Eventually sending the night owls into the morning glow, where the birds sing and daylight returns.

The idea for this project began with the concept and experience of an all-nighter — how the music and atmosphere change as the night goes on. The audience is taken on a journey.

We conceptualised that feeling into a visual. A night butterfly, in a gradual metamorphosis mirroring the essence of an all-nighter — a constant evolution and transformation.

I started by sketching simple ideas for each part of the night and how we wanted to show this transformation.

The front of the cover, starting with white, features a small caterpillar that seamlessly morphs into a sound-wave. This represents a visual timeline, showing the progression of the night. As you follow the timeline, the sound-wave gets more intense, marking the shifts in music and tempo.

In the middle, the cover changes from white to black, symbolising the transition from light to dark.

Finally, on the back, the visual narrative unfolds into the captivating form of a night butterfly. The embodiment of a climax, sound-waves echoing through. Followed by the final comedown — the end of transformation. The end of the journey.

Concept development from start to finish.

Illustrating the artwork using ProCreate and Adobe Illustrator.

Creating the lay-out and making everything print ready using Adobe Indesign and Adobe Illustrator.

Creating mock-up imagery using Adobe Photoshop.