Album Design
THE WAITIKI 7
Project: Design a vinyl album package for Enchantment Under the Kiawe Tree by The Waitiki 7. This live album was recorded during two electrifying performances in May 2024 at the legendary Halekulani on the beach in Waikiki.
Our role was to design an album package that captured the legacy of the exotica music genre in Hawaiʻi with a nod to both past and present. We sifted through an extensive collection of vintage Halekulani ephemera for inspiration, much of which revolved around the iconic 130+ year old kiawe tree on the hotel property. This tree has been the backdrop for many notable exotica performances from the early 1950s to today, including Martin Denny, Arthur Lyman, Alice Fredlund Serenaders (The Halekulani Girls), Bill Kaiwa, The Kahauanu Lake Trio, and of course, The Waitiki 7.
We used a 3-color approach to the illustrations to give the artwork a vintage screenprint feel. A series of brushes, and textures were used to create a weathered, broken-in aesthetic. On the cover, the iconic kiawe tree holds 7 swaying paper lanterns (one for each member of the ensemble), overlooking the iconic view of Diamond Head (Lēʻahi) from Waikiki Beach. The music staff features the first 8 bars from Rendezvous in Okonkuluku, an original song by co-founder and bassist, Randy Wong. The music staff was designed to playfully weave in and out of the kiawe, out to the Pacific, and up to the heavens — symbolic of Halekulani (house befitting heaven).
On the back, you will find further symbolism and a deeper dive in to the history of exotica music and the legendary recording venue. The text is framed by custom illustrations of the band playing at the hotel under silver-blue moonlight. A family of humming cattleya orchids smile and sway as they descend from the heavens onto Waikiki.
Each album contains a 2-sided card featuring band history, logos, and custom designed textures.
The 180g vinyl album was pressed with an aqua-black translucent color blend. Every pressing is unique, and when held to light, ocean wave patterns representing the Pacific can be seen.
View more of our Waitiki 7 designs for Caves of the Sea and Halekulani.
