Logo and Branding: Size Records

Size is an independent record label owned and run by Swedish DJ and producer Steve Angello. This month sees the launch of the labels new visual identity, created by ‘supermodernist’ design agency Face in collaboration with Vltranegro, that moves it away from a saturated club aesthetic and appropriates the art-house qualities of high fashion.

“Steve Angello is 1/3 of Swedish House Mafia, and in his own time he is a renown producer DJ and artist. His record label – called Size – needed a cosmetic update, and Face helped along with famous graphic designer Vltranegro to develop a new, fresh, artsy and functional system to communicate the releases, concerts and just about everything else in mind.”

- Taken from the Face website

I am not usually a proponent of ‘cosmetic’ updates but I think that labelling it as such is underselling the result. The simple sans serif typographical construction of the logo-type and its expanding character spacing to resolve the name and, in my opinion (I own quite a few Size releases), the building nature of the tracks is really nice idea. Optically the SI appears a little tight, the ‘S’ a touch scruffy and the full stop perhaps superfluous. Nevertheless, united they appear to fit the proportions of the golden spiral so technically should be ‘perfect’. The thick black borders, cream and black colour palette and the flourishes of an accompanying serif typographic selection across the collaterals deliver a timeless elegance that has a familiar but interesting art-like quality that is cut with editorial and high fashion sensibilities. Set alongside a non-hierarchical layout, consistent type-size and small logo-mark (updated to include a circular frame) offers a really interesting union of classic detail and modernistic reference that intelligently characterises the convergence of design, dance music and high fashion.

The result is restrained but not entirely reflective of the increasingly rock n’ roll behaviour of Steve Angello, it is certainly self-assured and perhaps captures his aspirations to be received as an artist, but for the breadth and energy of the market I am not sure it is entirely appropriate. It does however successfully present the events and music as a far more sophisticated, high value proposition that introduces a new aesthetic to a visually tired industry.

Visit the BP&O Logo Gallery for a chronological guide to all the identities reviewed on BP&O.

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Richard Baird Richard is a British freelance designer and writer who specialises in the development of logos, branding and packaging. He has written for Brand New and Design Week, is an editor for The Dieline, has featured in Computer Arts magazine and also runs the resource Design Survival. Follow:     |     Twitter     |     Facebook     |     Portfolio     |     Contact