The challenge

Orbit Records reissues out-of-print albums on vinyl for a new generation of listeners. It is a crowded space, with large labels running big reissue programmes and collectors who notice every detail. Orbit needed to stand out on a record shop wall while staying respectful to the original artwork of each album.

The label also planned a small range of listening accessories to sell alongside the records. Everything had to feel like one family, from a sleeve designed in the seventies to a product made this year.

Our approach

We looked for the one thing every record, old or new, has in common. The answer was hiding in plain sight: the circle. Records come back around, the label brings music back into orbit and the groove itself is a spiral. We built the whole system from that shape.

Identity

The logo is drawn from concentric grooves that read as a planet in orbit at small sizes. A slim band at the bottom of every sleeve carries the catalogue number, credits and a decade colour, while the original cover art above stays untouched. Collectors can read the system across a shelf, yet each album keeps its own personality.

Product

The accessory range includes a slip mat, a cleaning kit and a set of listening cards. Each piece uses brushed metal, warm orange accents and the same orbit mark. Nothing hides behind a screen. Things click, turn and feel good in the hand, just like a record does.

What we delivered

• Logo and orbit mark

• Sleeve system and production templates

• Decade colour coding

• Product design for three listening accessories

• Packaging for records and products

• Online shop design

The result

Orbit releases are now recognisable from across a record shop, and the system makes new sleeves quick to produce. The design team can prepare a reissue in an afternoon instead of starting from a blank page each time.

Most importantly, the label has a voice that honours the past without feeling stuck in it.