duration
2months
overview
"Elysium" is an instrumental track that seamlessly blends progressive and ambient music styles. Featuring intricate guitar melodies and dynamic rhythms, it crafts an ethereal soundscape that inspires a sense of transcendence and exploration. The composition balances emotional depth with technical mastery, making it a standout piece for instrumental music enthusiasts. This personal project of mine involved both the art direction for the video and the design of the album artwork.
Videography/art direction
When working on the creative direction for "Elysium," I wanted to reflect its progressive instrumental vibe, blending uplifting melodies with djenty elements. I pictured a video with stunning outdoor shots and mirror effects, using lighting to highlight the song's dual nature. Soft, ambient lighting sets the mood for the morning, while evening silhouettes capture the track’s shifting sections and dynamic energy. This visual approach adds to the emotional feel and really brings out the music's rich, layered sound. I also decided to grade the video in colors which were vibrant but at the same time soft to give it that edge making it look more cinematic but at the same time flashy as well. Furthermore adding a layer of grain texture made the overall visuals soft and smooth.
understanding elysium
"Elysium" refers to a concept from Greek mythology, representing a paradise or afterlife for heroes and those favored by the gods. It symbolizes a place of perfect happiness, where the souls of the virtuous reside in peace and bliss. The term has since evolved to represent any idyllic or blissful state, often associated with dreams or an idealized version of life.
typography
For "Elysium," I aimed to convey the technicality and complexity of the progressive instrumental track through abstract typography. This typography is designed to seamlessly integrate with the main flower illustration, creating a cohesive visual structure that reflects the song's intricate nature.
I started my design process by sketching out abstract typography designs of “elysium” making it flowly, bringing in the feel of roots of a plant.
3D type
The finalised sketch was further developed and chiseled in illustrator. This was then imported to blender to create the final 3d type design.
3d illustration
The title "Elysium" evokes an idyllic or blissful state. However, upon exploring the song's nature, I discovered a mix of emotions, featuring energetic djent guitar sections alongside mellow, sparkly violin melodies. To represent this happy yet complex state, I chose a flower and delved into its forms and textures to reflect the song's dynamics.
The final album art showcases a flower with varying textures and geometry. The intricate metallic stamen highlights the song's complexity, while incorporating the typography as the base roots of the plant.
Final concept
The final album art showcases a flower with varying textures and geometry. The intricate metallic stamen highlights the song's complexity, while incorporating the typography as the base roots of the plant.
Another close up of the same blender model was used to create the credits cover. I’ve typewriter fonts to make the whole look cohesive and added grains and layer blur to make the overall look smooth and stylized.
