Music agency Crystal has repositioned itself as a curator with a distinct ear rather than a supplier with a roster, unveiling a new brand identity built with design studio Forum, designcompass.org reported. The rebrand centers on a wordmark that physically reacts to the sound of each track, a system designed so that every new piece of music produces a different visual expression of the brand.
Crystal was founded in 2014 in Portland, Oregon, by Tommy Pellarin to help musician friends make a living, and it has operated so that composers keep their own musical perspective while taking on commercial projects. The agency has worked on the main trailer for the film “Anora” and on A24’s “Problemista” campaign.
A Wordmark That Changes Shape With Each Track
The core of the identity is a wordmark designed to respond to the individual sound elements that make up each track. Depending on the music, the letterforms shift, so the same grid and typeface frame a different visual brand for every song. When new music arrives, the system generates a new expression without breaking the overall structure.
Magister, a 1966 Serif, Anchors the Grid
The visual system is built around the serif typeface Magister from type foundry Suda Type. The designers compared bringing the 1966 typeface back into use to the process of digging up and sampling an old recording. Type and information sit on a single grid that sets the standard for the whole layout.
From Rosters and Rights to Institutional Trust and Collector’s Taste
The production team analyzed how existing music agencies tend to emphasize the same things: the list of affiliated musicians, rights clearance and fast turnaround. Crystal’s strategy instead focuses on which music it chooses and proposes. The benchmark for the brand, according to the project, is combining the trust of an institution with the taste of a collector.
FAQ
Who founded Crystal, and when?
Tommy Pellarin founded Crystal in 2014 in Portland, Oregon, to help musician friends earn a living while keeping their own musical perspective on commercial work.
What films and campaigns has Crystal worked on?
Crystal contributed to the main trailer for the film “Anora” and to A24’s “Problemista” campaign.
What typeface does the new identity use?
The system uses Magister, a serif typeface from Suda Type originally dating to 1966, placed with all information on a single grid.
Each time Crystal takes on new music, the fixed framework of typeface and grid stays in place while the responsive wordmark renders that track’s sound visually — so the brand keeps one system but never looks the same twice.
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