Though traditionally designed to lay beneath the plastic window of a CD case on a shelf in the store, cover art is even more visible now. Whether it advertises the new release on an artist’s official website, catches the attention of someone surfing a digital download store online, or ‘puts a face to the name’ for press purposes on websites like SparkPlugged where we write about new releases all the time.

View cover details on KaiwaiWorks’ WORKS page

Additionally, graphic design in music goes well beyond cover art and CD jacket design. Graphics are essential when it comes to defining a band’s ‘image’. Elements of this include logos, websites, t-shirts, buttons, concert flyers, print advertisements, and more.

KaiwaiWorks is a company that does all of this and although the group’s most visible products are cover art, their portfolio spans a breadth of media. KaiwaiWorks was actually founded by members of the similarly named band, Kaiwai (かいわい).

KaiwaiWorks has created cover art for RX-RECORDS artists BIGMAMA, onsa, and L.A.SQUASH as well as bands like the chef cooks me, bulimia, trico, and many more. Chances are you’ll recognize some of these covers.

It appears as though KaiwaiWorks has worked especially close with the chef cooks me and onsa. In addition to designing an album cover for the chef cooks me, the company has designed the band’s logos and website. As for onsa, Kaiwai has designed a half a dozen or so pieces of cover art for them.

KaiwaiWorks has also been commissioned for work with winnie, reach up to the universe, fam, and some rock festivals. They’ve also created cover pieces for split EPs involving avengers in sci-fi and PaperBagLunchBox.

Although there is a wide range of styles within KaiwaiWorks’ body of work, many of their pieces have a signature style.

“They tend to lean towards more traditional methods like pens/inks, watercolor, handwritten text which gives a warm kind of familiar feeling. Because its not Michaelangelo we’re talkin here, it’s very simply rendered stuff but effective. If they do use photography, it goes through a sort of artistic filter to take off the edge of reality and make it surreal and dreamy in a way. Their work feels very contemporary and organic,” is how Jimi, our benevolent in-house artist characterizes KaiwaiWorks’ pieces.

KaiwaiWorks is the team of Masahiro Sakai, Shimo :) Ryo, “kaba” Reona, and azumi. Check out their site and browse their extensive portfolio.

Puma’s Japanese Monster Pack updates some of the company’s greatest classics like the Clyde, First Round, Stepper, and Puma Mid with some stunning new colorways and designs. All five sneakers in the collection are inspired by beasts from the classic Japanese moster movies of the ’50s – ’70s.

The sneakers in the Japanese Monster Pack are the Moth King, Ape King, Mecha King, Lizoid King, and Terror King.

“Puma has gone all out to make their monster creations really come to life through the use of reptilian scales, multi-patterned cloth, shiny metal, feathers and fur,” Kicks on Fire pretty much sums it up.

I think my favorite is the Mecha King since it’s all bolted and chromed out. I’ve been partial to the shine since I bought a pair of Nike Air Force 1 Olympics a few years back.

The Puma Japanese Monster Pack is set to come out March of ’09.

via Kicks on Fire and Hypebeast

There are three ads, each blasting a different genre (hip-hop, opera, & rock) of music into a dude’s ear.

I’ve heard some pretty good things about Samsung MP3 players but since I already have an iPod, where can I pick up a pair of those headphones?

via Ads of the World

Sure you can sit in a chair or lay on your bed, but if you demand a more comfortable place to lounge, why not sit in the bookshelf? Yes, in.

Designer Sakura Adachi’s CAVE bookshelf allows you to do just that. So take a book off the shelf and hideaway and get cozy inside it. Here’s the official description of CAVE:

In urban life, there seems to be a common understanding that people tend to consciously or subconsciously become wary of strangers surrounding them. They are always balancing a certain level of privacy with others. A bookcase CAVE provides a private reading space within its form. As a seat height is just above the floor, CAVE gives a feeling of hiding from others standing around it. Books can be stored on both sides. Therefore, CAVE can also functions as a partition of a room.

Check out the CAVE on Adachi’s official website. There’s even a pet’s CAVE design.

Check out more fresh designs at Sakurah.net

tokidoki is a line of cute and colorful products from Italian designer Simone Legno. His world of delight has combined with the classic cool of Onitsuka Tiger. The official site says it best:

The partnership with Onitsuka Tiger brings together two unique facets of Japanese culture. Onitsuka Tiger’s strong history of creating outstanding athletic products married with tokidoki’s modern interpretation of Japanese art creates the perfect blend of function and fashion.

There are currently four styles of tokidoki + Onitsuka sneakers (2 unisex and 2 women’s). Besides being extremely colorful and vibrant, the kicks are splashed with designs and decore all over. Perhaps the coolest part about the sneakers is the sole though. The outsole (bottom of the shoe) sports designs laid behind clear rubber and the insole is decorated as well. The attention to detail on the tokidoki + Onitsuka Tiger line is really impressive.

I saw all of these at an Onitsuka Tiger store in Korea actually and really wanted to cop a pair. At $120 (for lows) and $130 (for highs) though, I couldn’t bring myself to get some. And this is coming from a guy who drops $100-plus on AF1s…so I guess I have no excuse. Shame shame. I want a white/black/yellow pair now more than ever.

The sneakers hit shelves June 1st this past summer.

Check out the official tokidoki + Onitsuka Tiger website

The simple-yet affective design of The Tokyo Hustler Tee stands out as cool. The bright colors and black atop the white shirt make it pop out with some great contrast.

The description on Karmaloop Kazbah says:

The land of the rising sun has always held a certain mystique to the global community. Known for the OG Yakuzas, undeniable style with keen eyes for detail and a new generation of hustlers looking for their piece, Japan deserves respect. This unique release from Cash Money Distribution strives to give daps where daps are due.

Put it on my want list. I wanna cop that hat too.

Check it out

Mecha (and hardsuits) are some of the coolest and most popular custom creations. Additionally, the anime-inspired LEGO Exo-force theme is all about mecha.

(L) MECHA Lego group pool and (R) a hardsuit creation by user mondayn00dle

There are a variety of LEGO groups on Flickr and quite a few LEGO mecha groups. Practically every creation in the group pools is stunning.

Check out these Flickr groups for more LEGO mecha action:
MECHA Lego
Lego Mecha
MECHA HUB
Lego sci-fi
Mecha Models & Art

In related news:

To celebrate the movie’s release, here’s an amazing LEGO Wall•E!!

Friends of the Earth Korea sponsored a provocative mural of “Dark Smoke”. It’s an ominous work of public art that’s message clearly emerges through the billowing smoke: “You’re gonna reap what you sow.”

View the full-size image

The caption reads:

In order to communicate the message that the polluted air by human finally returns to human, we did a wall painting on the outside of a building with 3.8 x 2.5m by using water paints.

via Ads of the World

A creation by designer Fumiaki Goto (五島史士) brings music to the dinner table, literally. The table is built like a marimba and striking it produces a variety of tones. A diagram briefly explains:

Copper wires are inserted into wooden bars which have holes. They amplify the sound of the wooden bars like a loudspeaker.

Better yet, diners can knock their glasses, forks, etc. on the surface and make tunes without the mallets.

FUMIAKI GOTO design

via Yanko Design

ApriPoko learns how you use the remote and will take over universal remote control duties once it does. The story on Gizmodo says:

Programmed to be fairly smart, he’ll wait until you use a controller for your electronics, then ask you what you were doing: the next time you want to perform the same action, you just have to tell ApriPoko to do it for you. He’ll then wave his IR transmitter arm and *bing*, on goes your TV.

ApriPoko is voice operated and comes with a camera and infared transmitters.

He looks like Squirtle :)

via GeekAlerts and Gizmodo