Through Lines 104

An insightful and still timely interview with the late Rush drummer and lyricist Neil Peart from 2014. One of the good ones — as both a musician and author.

• I don’t recall hearing the word “debranding” before but this trend analysis from Ben Schott of current industry behavior is spot-on.
• Behind the curtain with Alex Merto, Charlotte Strick, and author Jonathan Franzen on Franzen’s recently redesigned backlist.
• A thorough, well-considered and I’d say cautionary essay from Frank J. Martinez on the use and influence of AI on design.
• Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is 20 and Wilco is releasing a remastered and massively expanded edition of 11 LPs of studio outtakes, demos, instrumentals plus additional live recordings from that era. Hide my wallet.
• The mechanics of this fun retro flip-action LEGO robot are so delightful to watch, and the nature of the problem-solving to get this working is top notch.
• Adam G’s messymod style makes this collection of elegant custom minimalist letterforms shine with heavy solids and delicate hairlines.
• The LEGO succulent set is wonderful.
• Super Mario Bros. in a web browser. More like this please.
• Rogue School. Sign me up.
• This is Mars in 4K.

Notable Type Releases

• There are so many fantastic little details in Erik van Blokland’s still work-in-progress LTR Principia — the ball terminal on the lowercase c, the arm of the lowercase r to name a couple elements.
• I’m intrigued by the cut ascenders and other components in N27, an unusual avant garde grotesque from Antipo Foundry.
• I’m not sure how new Felka family is but the Brick style in particular caught my attention for turning simple geometry into something I don’t think I’ve seen before.