Floodgate Companion

"It's that sort of artwork which looks like it was never made by anyone, it simply exists in its own realm." —Paul Pope, Battling Boy

"Airbrushed insanity." —Daniel Lopatin, Oneohtrix Point Never

Floodgate Companion is comprised of previously unseen artwork recalling the heyday of paperback sci-fi, experimental animation, and the outsider realm of artist-released jazz and psychedelic records. This book brings the viewer into a world uniquely Beatty's own, moving stylistically through ink drawings, digital airbrush paintings, and psychedelic op-art collage framed in asemic type to create a cosmic and immersive artifact.

Robert Beatty emerged from the mid-2000s American noise music underground to become one of the most sought-after figures in contemporary album art, designing upwards of seventy-five record covers in the past ten years. His designs include award-winning album covers and logos for Tame Impala, Oneohtrix Point Never, Neon Indian, Real Estate, and Peaking Lights. In addition to album art Beatty creates installations and illustrations for publications as diverse as Lucky Peach, The Wire Magazine, and The New York Times. His artwork and design has been featured in the art comic anthologies Mould Map and Kramers Ergot. Robert was the first artist featured in Pitchfork.tv's documentary series Pitchfork Unsung, focusing on individuals who've made significant contributions to music but remain outside the spotlight.