Bille Sagoo Sleeve Cover

Bally Sagoo is a former bhangra star from Birmingham whose latest release is described by Music Week as ambient with layered instrumentation.

His previous albums have had a huge following in India and in his home town, but this single, Dil Cheez, and the album, Rising from the East, are aimed at a wider audience. Intro’s concept and design for the sleeves had to appeal to a more Western listener, without alienating the Asian producer and musician’s existing fans.

‘We used Western street-level graphics with Bally’s own artefacts [on the sleeves],’ says Intro creative manager Rachel Hamilton. Two photo shoots were needed to create the image – one of Bally himself and the other of the sculptures built by Intro designer Matthew Rudd.

Consultancy designer David Smith came up with three versions of the logo to be used on merchandising and in adverts. ‘At first we were trying to make it too Eastern,’ says Hamilton. Intro was appointed on the strength of earlier sleeve designs for Sony Music.

Intro’s advertising campaign will appear from 27 September. The single will be released on Sony record label Columbia in mid-October, with the album to follow.