On this episode of The J-Card Podcast, we’re joined by designer Eric Castorena to talk about his creative journey as a designer, the intersection of design and music, the power of physical media, and what it means to craft a “visual personality” for a band. Eric shares personal stories from Houston's music scene, gives flowers to the bands who shaped his taste, and brings a heartfelt mixtape that doubles as a love letter to the people who helped him find his voice. And of course, we had to do a bracket of some iconic album art!
See some of Eric’s work at his site, and give Post Post a follow on IG @postpost.htx
The J-Card is presented by Rue Defense Tape Club, a quarterly, mail-order cassette compilation and DIY audio project. Hosted by Alexei Shishkin, each episode is part music discovery, part oral history, part hangout show. We ask artists, musicians, filmmakers, and other music-minded folks to build us their own personal mixtape and talk about the moments and memories that inspired it.
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⏱️ Chapters:
00:00 - Intro to Eric Castorena
01:53 - What’s Been Stuck In Your Head?
06:13 - Design Influences & Getting Into Music
11:31 - The Visual Side of Music
14:02 - The Corporate vs Passion Projects Balance
18:01 - Breaking Out Of Corporate Creative
22:38 - Brand Identity for Musicians
26:39 - Poster Design and Community Impact
30:34 - Physical Media Preservation & Design Stories
32:47 - Album Packaging Design
36:13 - Post Post DJ Collective
40:19 - Eric’s Mixtape Begins
42:24 - “Fighting Wonders” by Thumbscrew
45:30 - “Best of the One Liners” by The Y Equals
48:28 - “Crown” by Stadium
52:41 - “Oh My God” by Papermoons
56:26 - “The Match” by The Eastern Sea
58:45 - “Feathers” by Buxton
01:02:28 - “Rothko Chapel” by David Dondero
01:04:53 - “Howler” by Football, Etc.
01:07:55 - “Life Ordinary” by Mister Data
01:11:13 - Mixtape Wrap-up
01:12:58 - Album Art Bracket
01:31:59 - Eric’s Plugs and Where to Find Him
