Thursday Throwback is a weekly colour scheme inspired by an iconic album cover of yesteryear. This week’s throwback is the 1972 album “Pink Moon” by Nick Drake. The colours are as follows:
| Colours | HEX | RGB | HSB | CMYK | LAB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colour 1 | #85D3F2 | 133, 211, 242 | 197, 45, 95 | 45, 12, 0, 5 | 80, -16, -22 |
| Colour 2 | #348655 | 52, 134, 85 | 144, 61, 53 | 61, 0, 36, 47 | 50, -36, 19 |
| Colour 3 | #132610 | 19, 38, 16 | 112, 58, 15 | 50, 0, 57, 85 | 12, -13, 11 |
| Colour 4 | #BDD9A9 | 189, 217, 169 | 95, 22, 85 | 12, 0, 22, 14 | 83, -17, 20 |
| Colour 5 | #AC410B | 172, 65, 11 | 20, 94, 67 | 0, 62, 93, 32 | 42, 41, 49 |
“Pink Moon”, the third and final studio album by English musician Nick Drake, was released on 25 February 1972. The album is characterised by its minimalist style, featuring primarily Drake’s vocals and acoustic guitar, with a single piano overdub on the title track.
Recorded over two late-night sessions on 30 and 31 October 1971 at Sound Techniques studio in London, Drake opted for a stripped-back approach, diverging from his earlier, more orchestrated works. This decision resulted in an intimate and raw sound. Contrary to popular myth, Drake did not surreptitiously deliver the album to Island Records; he personally handed the master tapes to Chris Blackwell, the label’s founder.
Initially, “Pink Moon” struggled commercially, mirroring the fate of Drake’s previous albums. However, its posthumous recognition grew substantially. The album gained significant exposure in 1999 when Volkswagen used the title track in a television advert for their Cabriolet, leading to a resurgence of interest in Drake’s music and propelling the album to number five on Amazon’s sales chart.
The album cover features surrealistic artwork by Michael Trevithick, a friend of Drake’s sister, Gabrielle. The design, depicting a landscape with floating objects, was chosen by Annie Sullivan, Island Records’ creative director, after deciding against using Keith Morris’ photographs of Drake due to his deteriorating appearance. The cover art has since become iconic, symbolising the album’s ethereal quality.
“Pink Moon” is now regarded as a deeply personal and influential album in Nick Drake’s discography. Its pared-down production and melancholic beauty have cemented its status as a folk genre classic, continuing to resonate with audiences long after its initial release.Did you like this week’s colour scheme? Do you fancy using it for your next release cover? Then visit the shop or contact the founder!