RF1: Year 1 - Spring 2
On Spring 2 Raguna met the other half of the residents (since Spring 1 is a quiet New Year's "Holiday" where half the town stayed inside).
When he enters the De Sainte-Coquille Manor, he witnesses my favourite, thought-provoking introduction scene in Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon.
Bianca is complaining to Tabatha that the clothes she's picked out "don't suit her". In response, Tabatha apologizes by saying:
"I'm sorry... A country girl like me always gets things wrong."
I grew up in the country. So when I read this line as a kid, I didn't quite understand what she meant by that and simply dismissed the line.
Reading this line today opens up a whole line of questioning for me:
After reaching 3LP with Tabatha, she reveals to Raguna that she's an elf. Saying she's "from the country" is her way of telling people that she's not from Kardia and that's why she may act or speak differently. But seeing that Tabatha is telling Bianca this, does this mean that the de Sainte-Coquilles not know she's an elf?
I'm inclined to believe that she doesn't because she responds with:
"He he! I know you're from the countryside, but you've been a maid here for many years. And, you gotta get a bit street smart! Never mind, life's hard in this town!"
I'd like to believe that Bianca and Tabatha speak in code and have a wholesome friendship, but I think that idea goes against their characters.
Bianca cares about Tabatha she's just awful at expressing herself (see quote above). Tabatha, on the other hand, shows her appreciation/professional affection through her attention to detail.
Ironically, the outfit Tabatha picked out for Bianca makes Jasper happy, which in turn makes Bianca happy.
It also makes me wonder if Tabatha is more in tune with Jasper's tastes, or if it's easier to please Bianca if she works with what Jasper likes...
If you ask me, I think Bianca doesn't know Tabatha is an elf because Tabatha wants to be treated like any other human. The fewer people knew about her identity, the better she could study them.
I put in a poll last time I had a dividing thought like this and I thought that was fun, so let me ask again! What do you think?
LILA'S RUNE FACTORY TEMPERATURE BLANKET
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Uncovered: The Ninja Tales
2. Mr Scruff - Trouser Jazz Deluxe 20th Anniversary Edition (2023) AND Ninja Tuna Deluxe Triple LP out today! (29/03/24)
Part II of our ‘Ninja Tales’ series for our ‘Uncovered’ blog explores the creative for two re-releases from Manchester’s own Andy Carthy aka Mr Scruff on Ninja Tune. We speak to Ninja Tune's Head of Production, Sean Preston to get the full story.
Former fine art student at Sheffield University, DJ and Cartoonist, Andy Carthy’s iconic line art cartoon drawings have illustrated gig flyers, record sleeves and merchandise and usually accompany him at gigs as live animated visuals. Mr Scruff's cartoons feature across his body of work are a big part of his identity, instantly recognisable to electronic music fans.
Trouser Jazz, originally released in 2002, celebrated its 20th anniversary with a Deluxe anniversary edition on a double LP with blue/red vinyl to match the cover palette of the original iconic artwork by Mr. Scruff & Airside with an “infinity” peelable trouser sticker on the cover to reveal silver and gold foiled 20th anniversary trousers.
Ninja Tuna, the fourth studio album by Mr Scruff, originally released on CD in 2008 through Carthy's personal Ninja Tune, is the latest Mr Scruff album to get a fancy makeover and is released on 29th March 2024. Now available for the first time on vinyl, the record is presented as a deluxe triple LP housed in a gatefold greyboard sleeve, complete with bonus tracks, pressed on Biovinyl and also with an “infinity” peelable tuna sticker on the cover.
We spoke to Ninja Tune’s Head of Production, Sean Preston to get the story behind the creative.
Sean explains, “These two records first came out decades ago when budget and RRP limited what we could do. Ninja Tuna didn’t even get a vinyl release. The two new versions utilise the same "gecko sticker” design to take a product concept and roll it out across the act's work. When ‘Trouser Jazz’ came up for an anniversary edition, it felt like a really good opportunity to delve into the original artwork, honour it, and bring it to life. It’s a fun, interactive and borderline silly design package, that is apposite to Scruff’s playful and tongue-in-cheek cartoons.”
He continues, “I had become aware of a “gecko” sticker thanks to music product maestros SixtySix Productions, specifically Emily Robbins there. The sticker is in fact more like velcro than a normal sticker adhesive, which is why it’s often called "infinity peel”. In fact, like velcro you prob get a few thousand re-peels of it, so whilst “infinity” is a stretch, it’ll take some debunking in practice.”
Sean continues, “We took the trousers which make up the original front cover’s central feature, and created new 20 year anniversary trousers, foiled in gold with a beautiful silver belt. Then, traditional marketing sensibility troll that I am, I placed the standard blue trousers over the top as a sticker. The trick here is not only covering up the expensive bit to leave as a surprise for buyers, but to create a small deboss into the sleeve where the foil trousers are, and present the record as it originally was, with the old school blue trousers sitting in place, flush against its surroundings. Of course, at home, once those trousers are peeled off, the owner of the record can put them wherever they want. My Trouser Jazz trousers currently sit on my copy of Bob Dylan’s Street Legal.”
With today’s release of Ninja Tuna on vinyl for the first time the new package design was in keeping with Trouser Jazz's concepts.
Sean told us, “Part of the decision to present Trouser Jazz with this peel and reveal gatefold sleeve was made with an eye on future Scruff reissues. This week we release Nina Tuna on vinyl for the first time, and as a 3LP no less! Its cover features a centrally located tuna fish. No free copies to anyone guessing what we’ve done with it! Andy (Mr Scruff) was very up for reinterpreting the original CD artwork, and got to work on new illustrations to exist alongside original illustrations."
"The main tuna dude on the front gets a beautiful new coat (scale even?!) of silver. It really shimmers in the sun. It’s so fun working with artists like Scruff, he’s totally open to ideas and has such vital advice and feedback. I think initially I was steering towards a greyboard to replicate the original CDs, but availability of that type of board wasn’t what it was 15 years ago, and it tends to be difficult to work with when you want to use heavier versions of it that are necessary for a heavy duty gatefold sleeve.”
Sean continues, “It’s a small thing, but I’m dangerously self-satisfied with the inner sleeves. They spell out NINJA TUNA between them, and reveal vinyl discs pressed onto BioVinyl, which is a relatively new thing in the world of vinyl offered by Optimal Media in Germany. There are a few specifics about Biovinyl that make it a better choice for the environment, but the key is using biogenic waste like cooking oil rather than petroleum. It’s something we are trying to encourage more use of, with one eye on truly eco-friendly, carbon neutral vinyl alternatives that are in development.”
Sean Preston is an award winning product designer and artist from London. He is Head of Production at independent record label Ninja Tune, a bastion of ground-breaking music since 1990, working with artists such as Black Country, New Road, Bonobo, Thundercat, Mr Scruff and more. Sean founded Fiction magazine and publisher Open Pen.
We already loved both these records, but Ninja Tuna getting a first release on vinyl is particularly pleasing for us of course. We shall be peeling and un-peeling our copies with glee! We were also extremely chuffed to have got some words from Andy Carthy (Mr Scruff) himself about this project, “I really enjoyed collaborating on the design with Ninja Tune’s Sean Preston. Both albums needed a lot of re-drawing & re-writing hand-written text, so I did the bit that I am good at (potato drawings & writing) & Sean did the professional design bit, which I struggle with beyond basic illustrator fiddling. The daft hype stickers were fun to do as well!”
With Mr Scruff's back catalogue getting this delightful vinyl upgrade, we're hopeful that there’s another one on the way to complete the set.... !!
NINJA TUNA (Vinyl Debut Edition) by Mr Scruff is released on 29th March 2024 on Ninja Tune. Design by Mr Scruff and Sean Preston. Vinyl record FlipFrames by ART VINYL
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Beastie Boys Celebrate 30 Years Of "Ill Communication"; Limited Edition 3LP Deluxe Vinyl & Cassette Out Now
Originally released May 31, 1994, Ill Communication was much more than the record that returned Beastie Boys to #1 on the Billboard 200. In short order, the fourth album from Michael “Mike D” Diamond, Adam “Adrock” Horovitz and Adam “MCA” Yauch would become a multi-platinum juggernaut that pervaded every aspect of pop culture. Ill Communication‘s charge to global domination was led by “Sabotage”…
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This is an Angel Marcloid appreciation post!!
She masters virtually all of our releases, including the current versions of all Lemon Demon albums and the upcoming vinyl reissue of Good & Evil! She mixed the new version of the Scary Jokes' April Fools, and is currently mixing a new Trust Fund Ozu album along with producing a new Scary Jokes project!
Her Mindspring Memories album Om was the first vaporwave project we put out, and ever since we have been close collaborators! We've reissued her musique concrete tape Rectangular Prism of Shitty Eyes, her 3LP opus The Binary Ocean, her Nonlocal Forecast single "Conscious Agents" and even have a new Mindspring album on the way!
But of course, she is best known for her incredible work as Fire-Toolz! Go listen to her latest full-length, Eternal Home! It's incredible!
We love you Angel! Never stop being an audio sorceress!!
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