SOUFFLE CONTINU RECORDS

TREASURES FROM THE FRENCH UNDERGROUND SINCE 2014

The ambition of Bernard Ducayron and Théo Jarrier, through their label Souffle Continu Records, is to make out-of-print recordings from the French underground musical heritage accessible worldwide.

Although some albums are also reissued on CD, vinyl remains the label’s primary and most cherished format. Many of these records had become either impossible to find or prohibitively expensive; they are therefore carefully restored and remastered, both sonically and visually, with a strong sense of ethics.

Each original sleeve is digitized, cleaned, and retouched—sometimes even reinterpreted. Musically, the goal is never to alter the original work, but rather to give it a new lease of life, meeting contemporary standards while preserving the spirit in which both the music and its physical form were originally created.

Another key challenge of this art direction is to establish a strong and coherent identity for a label that spans multiple musical genres—affirming a singular vision while embracing cultural openness and diversity. This is achieved without artifice or overstatement, but through a simple, respectful, and contemporary aesthetic.

What follows is a visual retrospective of the label’s first ten years, explored through the graphic design of its identity and catalog, and their defining features.

THE ORANGE-RED DOT

In its early days, Souffle Continu was a record shop, so part of the groundwork had already been laid a few years prior. However, this initial work needed to be adapted and refined to meet the specific requirements of a record label.

I wanted the label to have a distinctive visual marker—something versatile, minimal, and easily applicable across a wide range of contexts. The circular form quickly emerged as an obvious choice: so many elements in the world of music are round, from the notation of notes to the shape of vinyl records, tapes, and compact discs. The same logic applied to the use of color—when the goal is to capture attention, the choice becomes self-evident.

The “ffl” inside the symbol originates from an early version of the label’s logotype. It evoked something inherently musical for Théo and Bernard, aligning with their interpretation of the label’s name.

For the typography, a very classic approach was chosen, with the only eccentricity being the removal of the space between the words. The intention was to create a timeless identity, conveying quality and integrity without referencing any specific musical genre or aesthetic.

The Akzidenz-Grotesk type family was selected for all materials related to the label.

OBI

Although it has become an increasingly popular feature for record labels over the years, the obi strip was far less common when we chose to adopt this typically Japanese marketing device as a key element of the label’s releases. It allowed us to establish a strong visual identity while addressing practical marketing needs—without altering the original artwork of the reissues.

The folded obi we developed offers a dual approach: the front interacts visually with the cover artwork, while the reverse accommodates descriptive text, credits, and legal information.

BOOKLETS

Another key strength of Souffle Continu Records lies in Théo Jarrier’s ability to enrich each release with rare iconography and texts by music experts, as well as firsthand accounts from figures connected to the French underground scene.

From the outset, most releases in the catalog have included exclusive inserts or booklets, contributing to the label’s sense of depth and prestige.

The selection of illustrations is highly curated, aiming for a strong and impactful visual expression. Color palettes are derived from the original cover artwork, ensuring overall graphic coherence across each release.

MOSHI

Moshi was the label’s most ambitious release at the time.

Working on this album was already an exciting endeavor, given its significance within the experimental and jazz landscapes. But the work carried out by Théo and Bernard resulted in what is arguably the most complete edition one could hope for: brought to life with a 20-page booklet featuring rare photographs, sheet music, and original liner notes, along with a DVD of Caroline de Bendern’s film À l’intention de Mlle Issoufou à Bilma, documenting this remarkable African journey.

It was undoubtedly the first major release that helped establish Souffle Continu Records’ reputation and put the label firmly on the map.

NEW ALBUM ART

Souffle Continu Records quickly developed the ability to undertake special projects based on exclusive sources—whether rare, previously unreleased material or recordings that had only existed on CD.

These projects required the creation of new artwork, adaptable to a range of formats, from twin releases of live recordings to multi-vinyl box sets dedicated to specific periods in a band’s history.

I designed most of these album covers, and on certain projects, I had the opportunity to collaborate with other visual artists and photographers.

PALM REDUX SERIES

Knowing that the label would reissue not just one, but a significant number of releases from Jef Gilson’s legendary Palm label, Bernard and Théo decided to give the entire series a distinctive and unified treatment.

As always, the intention was to faithfully restore the original artwork, while using additional elements—such as the obi strip and the booklet—to express the visual identity of the series.

Drawing on the predominantly black-and-white aesthetic of the original Palm releases, the design of the obi and booklet follows a consistent system: a shared grid, a black background, and a large horizontally centered white block, all set in a common typeface.

ART EDITIONS

For selected releases, the label offers a very limited edition featuring colored vinyl, a screen-printed trifold sleeve with exclusive artwork, and additional bonuses.

We developed a template for this trifold format, allowing the artwork to flow seamlessly across the front and back covers, while a small flap on the left subtly echoes the presence of an obi strip.

These editions provide complete freedom to visually interpret the album’s universe and its emotional resonance.

Screen printing on fine, heavyweight paper… always a deeply rewarding pleasure.

You can see large size of these artworks here.