Alex Durlak Creative Operator
20+ years bridging art, sound, print & technology
Crafting experiences with an eclectic toolkit: from printing presses to DAWs, vinyl records to microcontrollers, and spreadsheets to legal contracts. Equipped with a knack for problem-solving and a love for figuring things out on the spot.

This site is a selection of case studies of various projects.

Available for full-time and freelance work, while also maintaining an art practice.

Email
LinkedIn
05 ANSIBLE EDITIONS
Branded packaging for an avant jazz record label


Art Direction 
Print ProductionAs co-founder of Idée Fixe Records, I collaborated with my partner Jeff McMurrich to create our sister label, Ansible Editions, showcasing expressive and jazz-adjacent instrumental music. Recognizing the need for a distinct brand identity to properly market artists working in experimental genres, I applied my experience in graphic design and typography to craft a visual language that would appeal to both artists and audiences.

Inspired by the packaging aesthetics of labels like Deutsche Grammophon's Avantgarde series and ECM, I designed a template-based system that strikes a balance between consistency and flexibility. Each release features a duotone photographic image on the front cover, complemented by a minimalist text-driven back cover using the typeface Fugue by Radim Pesko. These elements are printed on a single wrap-around label, which is then attached to a blank tipped-on jacket wrapped in black uncoated stock—a subtle nod to the iconic Folkways Records packaging.

The design system I developed is both elegant and pragmatic. It can accommodate any length of artist name and album title, with the only variables being the artist's choice of two colours for the layout and duotone photograph, and the selection of the front cover image itself. This streamlined process stands in stark contrast to our more labour-intensive artwork production for Idée Fixe releases, allowing Ansible Editions to support more artists and expand our catalogue effectively.






INDEX  NEXT
Seeing sounds, hearing images