Discovery
Mysterious Works is an independent, vinyl-only record label I co-founded with musical collaborator Jon Iliffe, rooted in underground dance culture. Unlike commissioned work, this was entirely self-initiated, which meant being simultaneously the client, the creative director and the designer. The brief was our own: build a label identity that felt at home in the underground without trying too hard to look like it belonged there.
Design
The visual identity was driven by surreal collage, vintage imagery fused with space-age references, directly mirroring the music itself. The records sampled fragments of the past and reshaped them into something dancefloor-ready and the artwork did exactly the same thing. That connection between the visual language and the musical approach wasn't decorative, it was the concept. The sleeve art wasn't illustrating the music, it was made the same way the music was made.
Delivery
The label gained recognition across the underground dance scene, earning support from DJ Mag and Mixmag, alongside radio play from stations worldwide. The artwork was also featured in Leicester’s LOOP Graphic Design & Illustration exhibition.