Flame of the Pilots App for Ipad and Android

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Concept Director Andrew Bikichky fuels his passion and finds a new space for album artwork on tablet devices

“I have very strong memories of enjoying the artwork that came with the music I’ve collected over the years. Getting lost in the visuals the artist presented with their work was part of the complete experience for me. Listening to the entire album with the music turned up, I would lie back and stare at the cover or immerse myself in the hi-fi temple of the living room with the lights low. The album covers, the booklets, the gatefold editions designed by the likes of Storm Thorgerson, Anton Corbijn, Peter Saville, Designer’s Republic helped shape an imaginative space that expanded the music enjoying experience…Today, most of the time, all we have is a little thumbnail of the album cover viewed on our mobile devices.

A desire to bring back that magical connection album art can have with music inspired me to make Popnoname // Flame of the Pilots, the debut issue from the Noumenon Collection. In order to successfully revive album artwork, it must be published to the canvas on which viewers increasingly enjoy their media. Tablets provide that new space to reinvent the album art experience.”

Noumenon Collection is a digital magazine/newsstand app for iOS (iPad, iPad Mini) and Android (7″+) tablets featuring artwork conceived around the music. Noumenon Collection is essentially a visual concept album publishing label. Looking at it like an album, Popnoname // Flame of the Pilots features 8 chapters/tracks: One music video followed by 7 more tracks of audio playing over long scrolling layouts that either go up and down or left and right, some of them up to 18 feet in length. A sister release to 50º, the tracks are comprised of alternate versions from 50° and previously unreleased songs. It’s a unique experience that features exclusive material from the recording artist, providing the added value of collectibility.

Most efforts in music apps center around the idea of interactivity. But I prefer the interactivity to occur in the listener’s imagination as they simply enjoy the journey. Linear storytelling still holds great value in being able to fully render an artists’ vision, that in turn, becomes our own personal experience of the work.

The Noumenon Collection is a free download with in-app purchasing of individual issues at $2.99. This media does not replace traditional albums or individual songs since the music and visuals are only accessed through the magazine itself. (However, AirPlay playback is a feature update coming soon).

“Zero” (chapter/track 5) is already available as a free sample in the Noumenon Collection app. Take your time to enjoy and listen, preferably in a low light environment and relaxed state. Lift your finger off the screen sometimes to let content play. Optimal with headphones.

For more information, contact Andrew Bikichky at info@mooncakeimages.com
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Download the free Noumenon Collection App from iTunes.

Download the free Noumenon Collection App from GooglePlay.

Andrew Bikichky is an American photographer, music video director, and film director based in Los Angeles. He is the creative director behind the visual output of Noumenon Collection.