Case Study: Matsu
Graphic Design Is My Passion!
“So, what do you do” is my least favorite question.
Partially because jerks have weaponized it into our culture’s default opener; might as well just hit me with a “what’s your rung on the economic ladder” to determine if my social capital makes this conversation worth your time, buddy.
But it’s extra frustrating when you genuinely do a lot of things.
“I work in music and film” is my go-to answer. Concise, broadly accurate, keeps it moving. My primary focus is writing and directing original movies; perhaps you know about the boulder rolling and windmill fighting it requires.
So while that adventure continues, I still DJ (including weddings and private events) and make original music (along with beats for artists, remixes, scores, etc). I also creative direct / copywrite for various brands, lend the pen to publications, and maintain a design practice that spans from record sleeves and packaging to motion graphics and music videos.
I keep a website for all of this, but in the spirit of what my homegirl and fellow cross-genre taskmaster Mary HK Choi once called “identifying all your buckets that people can throw money into” I’m gonna showcase more of these work-for-hire projects that you too can feel free to book me for (Brent Rollins has shared some useful etiquette in that regard).
It can sometimes feel like emphasizing one pursuit only distracts from the others (and vice versa), whether that’s on an actual perception level or just my own internal deal. Never gonna refer to myself as a multi-hyphenate, though you are more than welcome to.
But who even cares as we enter a second decade of “this is fine”?!?
I get busy and take pride in what I do, regardless of context.
The best examples of creating on behalf of others will always feature lots of “Nick” anyway. Case in point: working on projects for Matsu over the past year and change (it’s probably been longer!) has been very satisfying and enjoyable.
He’s an active electronic DJ and producer in Brooklyn who enlisted me to develop an identity system — logo, style guide and cover art — for an ongoing series of releases.
The brief was to create something commercially viable and distinctive, and within those parameters I have free reign to do my thing (always the best working environment).
Every release is a quick turnaround experiment in type and texture. There’s been enough of ‘em at this point that a narrative has emerged, mixing digital glitch with analog grit. I especially dig how Matsu’s latest release features the most deconstructed sleeve yet, befitting the techno-inspired tunes inside.
More soon!
Lewis OfMan, 50KWTTS — the new project from Lewis is delightfully fried, with a fuzzed out (and occasionally ‘80s hip-hop sampling) vibe sure to please the Odelay pilled among us. Don’t sleep on last year’s Seoul Mixtape either!
Lola Blue, “Daisy” (“came for fine shyt stayed because the song is legit good”)
Bruiser Wolf & Sheefy McFly, “Wannabees” (dir. Blair Nesmith)
Claudia Valentina, “ROAD BBY” (whole EP is great)
Daniel DeLara, Selected Ambient Solo Bass Guitar Works (gang)
Patty Jenkins x Toby Morse podcast - H20’s frontman always books great guests from in / around the hardcore continuum on his pod, but getting Patty Jenkins to talk about the journey from directing Leeway videos to Wonder Woman (a five year plan, if you will) is remarkably tailored to my interests.
How Mick Smiley Made The Best Ghostbusters Song Then Disappeared
E-40 x Shoe Palace Sic Wid It collab (hog beanie is the one)
Playlists updated!