Soma 2007

Soma 2006

RA and Soma Quality Recordings are teaming up for a very special design competition, which will see the winner's work featured on the label's Soma 2008 Compilation, due out in December. The goal? An exciting idea that captures the vibe of Soma Recordings for the front and back covers of the 2008 compilation.

That vibe is one of independence and innovation. Soma has been a bastion of dance music for more than 15 years. Co-founded by Scottish duo Slam, the label is perhaps best known for being one of the first to release tracks by French megastars Daft Punk in advance of Homework, but they've also kept it defiantly local as well. The imprint has showcased Scottish stars such as Alex Smoke, Funk D'Void, and Slam themselves throughout the years. Needless to say, for a label of its stature to remain relevant after all these years is a feat in itself, but Soma's dedication to the cutting-edge of techno, most obviously showcased in recent years through their excellent Sci-Fi Hi-Fi mix series, is nothing short of amazing.

The label's yearly compilations too. And, now, you've got the chance to design the cover. The winning entry will be selected by the staff of Soma Records and will receive a copy of the record (naturally), as well as every album that has come out on the label in 2008, a t-shirt, and a free 6-month subscription to the digital downloads on the Soma Records website. Runners up will receive a Soma Records t-shirt.

The winners

With more than 100 entries, Soma Records had a treasure trove of quality design to sift through. In the end, though, it seemed that their eye was drawn to any quirky combination of minimalism, mixed with a splash of complexity. Both Chantal Colson's winning entry and Hektor Ruiez's featured plenty of open space, cut through with a splash of intricate shapes.

We asked Soma to talk about the selection process: "The entries were of incredible quality, so it was an extremely difficult choice in picking a winner for this competition. The simplicity of the winning design was what first captured our attention, and with further views we noticed the real intricacy involved in it. It's a fantastic piece and we're proud to announce it as the design for our 2008 compilation. We do also intend to work with other designers from the competition in the future, such was the quality of the entries. Thanks once again must go to all involved."

The winning entry, as well as the runners-up, are shown below.

The Winner
Chantal Colson

Runners up

Daniel Kaiser & Alexander Ludwig

Shweta Malhotra

Hektor Ruiez

Gallery of selected entries

a) Jonathan Kay
b) Srdjan Milanovic
c) Sebastian Seelig
d) Arturo Rojas
e) Bratislav Milenkovic
f) prop4g4nd4
g) Robi Jõeleht
h) Aurèle Lafon-Ferly
i) Stratos Sifostratoudakis
j) Brian Wishart
k) Amanda Bradley
l) Sarah France
m) Involucra / Kike Riesco
n) Family / Dan Westwood
o) Miguel Vega
p) Jmeel Allen
q) Carlos Ochoa
r) Guillaume Kashima
s) Nina Vrhovec / Multipraktik

RA and Soma would like to thank all of the designers that participated.