Ghostly International Celebrates 25 Years with Comprehensive Archive Publication

Ghostly International, an independent record label founded in 1999 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, has released a 488-page commemorative book to mark its 25th anniversary. Published by Hat and Beard Press, the volume titled 'Ghostly International — We'll Never Stop Living This Way: A Ghostly International Catalogue' documents the label's history through archival materials, essays by critics Michaelangelo Matos and Philip Sherburne, vintage photographs, interviews, and oral histories with musicians and visual artists. The book was co-edited by Sam Valenti IV, James Goggin, and JC Gabel, with Goggin handling the design through his studio Practise. Goggin, a longtime fan of the label, approached the project as a comprehensive catalog raisonné, featuring every album cover and highlighting designers alongside musicians. Key contributors include designers Michael Cina, Michael Segal, Will Calcutt, Sougwen Chung, Hassan Rahim, and Scott Hansen (ISO50). The design employs a clean, grid-based layout to showcase the label's diverse visual output, with a mirror-coated silkscreened cover. Goggin collaborated closely with Valenti and Ghostly's art director Molly Smith, emphasizing the label's eclectic aesthetic and its evolution from a DIY operation to an internationally recognized entity. The publication also includes a hidden zine featuring content from the label's 'Ghostly After Dark' Twitter account. The book serves as both a historical record and a tribute to the label's influence across music, visual arts, and design.