What is a Digipak?
A digipak is the design of CD album case. It consists of a gatefold (book-like) paperboard, which is a piece of A4 or A5 paper folded into 6 sides for each side of the case, or 3 pieces of card strung together with binding. One or more of the trays of the case is used to carry a CD disk. Digipaks are meant to keep CDs in a flip-out case rather than a stiff plastic-hinged case (4 sides and 2 trays).
Digipaks are commonly used for CD single albums, as well as Special Edition CD albums and DVDigipaks, which are the packages used for DVDs and DVD sets.
What is included in a Digipak?
- Photographs and/or Pictures - at least one of them should include the artist(s) themselves - another could include a scene that reflects the mood or genre of the album
- Tracklist - should include songwriting credits
- One tray (at least) with a disk impression for the CD - the background could have a circular design where the disk goes or the design for the disk itself
- Information about the band or artist - names, instruments, additional musicians, copyright, year of release, etc.
- Barcode, QR and Logo of record company
- Possibly reference other albums by the same artist/band
- Digipaks sometimes include Membership postcards or fliers for a fan club and/or a free poster/image.
Examples:-
Tsuki Amano - "Sora no Ki"/"Ten no Ki" (Sky Tree/Tree of Heaven)
Denotation
The entire space is filled by a picture of a large, green-leaved tree (hence the album title) with Tsuki Amano in the middle, looking up at the sky or Heaven (again, hence the title), wearing a green and black dress.
The name of the album is just above the Tsuki Amano's head, at the top of the image of the tree, written in japanese (天の樹). It is written in white and made to look somewhat like a constellation (again, hence the title). The artist's name is not included here.
Connotation
The colours in this design are mainly green and black/dark brown, as well as small amounts of white.
The themes in the design are mainly nature, spirituality and peace.
This digipak perfectly links the design with the title and logo of the album. It also links with the kind of lyrics Tsuki Amano's music tends to have, which are meaningful and emotional.
Evanescence - "The Open Door"
Full Playlist here.
Denotation
True to the style of the band, the imagery in this digipak is very gothic. The front cover has a picture of a woman in a long white dress (who I am assuming is the lead female singer, Amy Lee) looking back from an open doorway (hence the album title). Outside the door is a bright light and bright clouds. The back cover shows a clearer look of the outside of the door; a bright light shining through dark clouds. The inside of the front cover has the title of the album in big, gothic lettering and a small black moth. The disc has a picture with a light navy blue sun in the center of a dark navy blue night sky background with small stars scattered across it. Around the rim of the disc is the band, album and song titles. On the final page of the booklet is a picture of Red Riding Hood staring into the eyes of a wolf/dog.
The name of the album and the band is found on the left of the open door image on the front cover. It is written in golden gothic writing and surrounded by what looks like golden thorns. The band name written on the inside of the front cover is also written in a similar way and also surrounded by the thorns, but it is written in a bigger size, taking up the space of page. In the booklet, the page that includes the band and crew details are written in a generic white (but fancy) font, while the song lyrics for "Sweet Sacrifice" and "Call Me When You're Sober" are written in a similar gothic writing, though slightly less "spiky" (the song titles are slightly more spiky than the lyrics themselves). This pattern of gold gothic writing and thorns is also on the back cover and the fancy font is also on the rim of the CD.
Connotation
The colours in this design are mainly black, dark blue and gold.
The themes in this designs are darkness, cold, fear and foreboding, but overall, gothic.
The design of the digipak perfectly fits with the genre of the band, which is gothic metal/rock.
Evanescence - "The Open Door"
Full Playlist here.
Denotation
True to the style of the band, the imagery in this digipak is very gothic. The front cover has a picture of a woman in a long white dress (who I am assuming is the lead female singer, Amy Lee) looking back from an open doorway (hence the album title). Outside the door is a bright light and bright clouds. The back cover shows a clearer look of the outside of the door; a bright light shining through dark clouds. The inside of the front cover has the title of the album in big, gothic lettering and a small black moth. The disc has a picture with a light navy blue sun in the center of a dark navy blue night sky background with small stars scattered across it. Around the rim of the disc is the band, album and song titles. On the final page of the booklet is a picture of Red Riding Hood staring into the eyes of a wolf/dog.
The name of the album and the band is found on the left of the open door image on the front cover. It is written in golden gothic writing and surrounded by what looks like golden thorns. The band name written on the inside of the front cover is also written in a similar way and also surrounded by the thorns, but it is written in a bigger size, taking up the space of page. In the booklet, the page that includes the band and crew details are written in a generic white (but fancy) font, while the song lyrics for "Sweet Sacrifice" and "Call Me When You're Sober" are written in a similar gothic writing, though slightly less "spiky" (the song titles are slightly more spiky than the lyrics themselves). This pattern of gold gothic writing and thorns is also on the back cover and the fancy font is also on the rim of the CD.
Connotation
The colours in this design are mainly black, dark blue and gold.
The themes in this designs are darkness, cold, fear and foreboding, but overall, gothic.
The design of the digipak perfectly fits with the genre of the band, which is gothic metal/rock.
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