José Hoek – Ida

Role: Designer
Year: 2020

Overview

José Hoek is a Venezuelan musician whose work centers around analog synthesizers and modular systems. His name, “Hoek,” is derived from the Dutch word for “corner”—a nod to the humble beginnings of his studio, once tucked into the corner of his home. The term also hints at geometry, a concept that influences both his music and identity.

Having lived in cities like London, New York, Los Angeles, Bogotá, and Caracas, José’s musical style is shaped by a rich tapestry of global influences. He reached out to me to develop the visual identity for Ida (Spanish for “Going”), his first solo album—a deeply introspective body of work born from a period of personal transformation.

The Approach

Listening to the early versions of Ida was a visceral experience. The analog synth textures, raw guitar riffs, and poetic, abstract lyrics triggered a vivid stream of visuals. What stood out the most was a strong feeling of nostalgia—specifically for the Caracas of past decades.

Shared Inspiration

To ground the identity in meaning, I drew from a palette of shared cultural references and emotional cues between José and me:

Venezuelan modernist architecture
The geometry of the Caracas Valley and the road to the coast
Kinetic art traditions
The tactile beauty of analog instruments and modular synthesizers
Dusk, dawn, and the hues of a tropical sunset
The xylophone’s rhythmic simplicity

Visual Development

I translated these references into quick, low-fidelity sketches that served as the foundation of our creative dialogue.

Round 1

One concept among the proposals immediately resonated with José—it featured an abstract visual interpretation of the journey from Caracas (city) to La Guaira (beach), as evoked by one of the album's tracks.

This design wove together key elements: