One of the most interesting is the presence of a small symbol within the text. A detailed CD analysis points out that the font "also appears to include a very small symbol of the ‘nazar’, a Turkish symbol said to protect against the cure of the ‘evil eye’". This subtle addition reinforces the connection between the text and the artwork's "patterned imagery," bridging the album's sonic and visual themes with cultural symbolism.
The lyrics are famously cryptic and nonsensical, prioritizing phonetics and "vibe" over linear storytelling. Phrases like "peanut butter vibes" from the track Gooey have become iconic to the band's brand.
To understand the font, you have to understand the vibe. Zaba (named after a children's book, The Zabajaba Jungle by William Steig) is an album about primal desire, creeping vines, and nocturnal animals. The typography needed to reflect that.
Specifically, look at the letter in "ZABA." The apex (the top point) is sharp enough to draw blood, but the left leg is thicker than the right. That asymmetry is a clue: it is custom lettering, not a font. glass animals zaba font
For the promotional material and tracklists on the back of the vinyl, the band utilized typography inspired by mid-century modernist geometric fonts. Neutraface, designed by House Industries, serves as an excellent starting point. By manually removing the crossbars from the "A" and "H" in a vector program like Adobe Illustrator, you can replicate the exact look of the tracklist layout. 4. Futura (Modified)
Select the horizontal crossbars of letters like A , H , and E , and drag them downward to the bottom third of the letter height.
The best way to get an authentic Zaba look is to modify existing fonts in Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop: One of the most interesting is the presence
The primary font used for the title on Glass Animals' debut album, , is a high-contrast, bold, all-caps sans-serif. While it is not a custom-made font unique only to the band, its specific application on the cover is a key part of the album's iconic "psychedelic jungle" aesthetic. Identifying the ZABA Font
: For a cleaner, tightly-kerned look similar to the band's general branding, many designers recommend Helvetica Black . Design Inspiration
Modeka is a clean, modern, and industrial font with a highly artistic edge. It utilizes broken lines and structural gaps similar to the custom Zaba lettering, giving it a light, floating, and futuristic feel. 3. Neutraface (Customized) Zaba (named after a children's book, The Zabajaba
Many font repositories host free thematic fonts under the "Tribal," "Aztec," or "Runes" categories. Look for fonts that utilize solid triangles for the letter 'A' and intersecting lines for the letter 'Z'. 3. Neoteric
This article dives deep into the story of that bespoke lettering, exploring its artistic origins, its unique symbolism, and how it functions as a critical part of one of the most striking album debuts of the 2010s.
: Designers often point to bold, geometric sans-serifs as close matches. On typography forums like dafont.com , users seeking to replicate the look often use: Futura Extra Bold Gotham Black Gill Sans Ultra Bold The Collaborative Art Style
Heavy, melting fonts from the poster-art era capture the liquid fluidity of the album text.
If you want to recreate the look, graphic designers and fans on Reddit suggest these professional typefaces that match the album's bold, geometric style: