SO ME

SO ME is another French graphic designer/illustrator(/DJ). His rise to fame is mostly due to working for the popular electro record label 'Ed Banger' for which he designs each artist's record sleeves, merchandise and most videos. The style he employs in his work is nothing technically challenging, rather standard vector stuff on Illustrator/Photoshop, but it just looks great.

He won the MTV video award a couple of years ago for Justice vs Simian - We Are Your Friends and if you ever saw the awards you probably remember Kanye West being a douchebag and getting on stage saying he didn't deserve it. (Basically Kanye West's DJ, A-Trak, told him he was being a douchebag and SO ME and Kanye ended up making a video together). . .
He also made what I believe to be the best video of last year, Justice - D.A.N.C.E. in which the two performers in Justice are filmed from the neck down walking along to the beat of their song as the graphics change on their t-shirts. It's unique. His illustrations have resulted in becoming the artists' 'identities' if you like, most notably the iconic Justice 'cross' and Sebastian's 'face'. There's something just extremely aesthetically pleasing about his designs, particularly on record sleeves and t-shirts. The illustrative type and illustrations themselves just work well together and lend themselves to the genre so well. Well, actually, as fromage as it sounds, it could be seen as the other way around. SO ME has almost defined this genre of music with his designs. (The two go hand in hand, like music/fashion - which one follows the other?). There is a 'class' of person now, like a chav or emo, who you can tell likes electro because they are wearing an Ed Banger t-shirt. You see these hoards of fans jumping up and down at a Justice gig, waving homemade illuminated 'crosses' and think they're all grouped together not only by the genre of music, but by the design and they probably don't even realise it. Or maybe they do? Maybe the audience are more active and intelligent than I give them credit for. Is it a choice? Do they say "I like this design. I like this music"? Hmmm.

I think it's true to say SO ME has captured a generation with his illustrations and design, much like you would say a photographer had "captured the seventies" or something. It's what the industry needs right now, it's just a shame I didn't get in there first. He has inspired me to do more t-shirt designs and doodle.

www.myspace.com/20399307

www.arcademode.com

p.s. check this website out for some humourous portraits SO ME did of Ed Banger boss, Busy P and scroll down to get more of an idea of what he's about.

www.studio.to/gallery.html