When tasked with the creation of TANGAZA’s “Full Full Condition Vol. 2” cover art, I knew I had a daunting job ahead of me. This cover was going to serve as the first connection between the listeners and the music; possibly even being the decision-maker between whether to tune in or not, so this truly was not the project to blunder. For one, it was important that the tape’s cover would do justice to the immense amount of talent and passion that was put into its creation. Along with that, adequately presenting the many nations that make up the tape’s roster was an equally daunting feat.

In that initial meeting with the Tangaza team, ideas about kangas and matatus were bounced around for my taking. Images of the leesus that hang from the closet doors of mothers and aunties across East Africa served as inspiration and would become the visual marker that would bring all the represented nations together. After the meeting, I quickly went to scratch out a rough sketch of the vision that came to mind. The matatu, a vehicle so pivotal to cities across East Africa would also serve as the central image for the ‘kanga’. Following the conventions of the wax prints that served as inspiration, I knew there had to be some kind of iconography or pattern. I had initially wanted the meaning of ‘Tangaza’ (to announce, or proclaim) represented in the imagery. The first image that came to mind was perhaps an overly direct expression of this, so in the first iteration of the cover, pairs of wide-open ‘yelling’ lips were strewn across the border of the image. Upon back and forth communication with the Tangaza team, we eventually decided on a sounding megaphone to better represent this and thus the final pattern was created. Further, upon mood boarding images for inspiration, I drew on kangas that featured portraits of African figures as the basis for the artists’ portraits. Additionally, to further imitate these portraits, I had to recreate that ‘dot’ print effect that we see on many of these kangas. Imitating the ‘outside the lines’ bleed was also important in creating a sense of authenticity, so the color of the map was offset slightly to the side to recreate this effect. 

The many iterations of the cover before landing on the final came about in a series of processes and experiments in color, texture, and feel. The decision on the cover as we know it now, however, was almost unanimous. The color scheme and ‘feel’ of the final choice had a sensibility that felt so familiar. Initial feelings of fear aside, to be part of a project that felt so much like home was extremely fulfilling. To see it all come together is even more blissful and I couldn’t be more honored to be part of the ‘FULL FULL CONDITION’ sonic universe.  

Stream Full Full Condition, Vol. 2 here.