Craft, Colour and Connection — Chris Maude’s Artwork for Jasper Van’t Hof’s Pili Pili Retrospective

As NuNorthern Soul continues its journey through the archives of truly pioneering musicians, the forthcoming Pili Pili – Selected Works 1984–2002 lands on 21st November 2025. Following previous retrospectives from Ryo Kawasaki and Joan Bibiloni, this new release turns its focus to the cross-cultural brilliance of Jasper Van’t Hof’s Pili Pili project — a collective whose sound fused European jazz innovation with the rhythm and spirit of West Africa.

Best known to Balearic heads for the euphoric title track from their 1984 debut Pili Pili — reissued by NuNorthern Soul in 2024 with a lush re-edit from label regulars Coyote — Van’t Hof’s project was much more than a single moment. It was a living, breathing collaboration that brought together Dutch jazz musicians and African percussionists, creating a sound that felt both spontaneous and spiritual. Across nearly three decades, Pili Pili blurred the lines between acoustic and electronic, improvised and orchestrated, ancient and modern.

The retrospective gathers six essential tracks recorded between 1984 and 2002 — from the percussive rush of Ile to the kalimba-rich Soubatcha — painting a vivid picture of a group whose music continues to inspire DJs and listeners who seek depth, warmth, and groove beyond borders.

But as with all NuNorthern Soul releases, the music is only part of the story. The visual world built around these records plays its own role in shaping the experience — and that world, for the label’s retrospective series, belongs to Chris Maude.

The Handcrafted Vision of Chris Maude

A self-taught artist from Stockport now based in Manchester, Chris Maude’s path into art began, as many good things do, through music. Designing posters for his long-running DJ night The Devil’s Jukebox opened the door to a cut-and-paste style that soon caught the attention of record shop owners, breweries, and label bosses looking for something with soul and authenticity.

His work with NuNorthern Soul came about almost by accident, as Chris recalls:

“Creating the first of the NuNorthern Soul retrospective sleeves was pretty much a happy accident.I had and have no idea of anyone else’s process with the paper-cutting thing, so I set about creating a stencil to spray on the back of some card, to then cut out and layer the pieces together to create the sleeve art. Ever DIY, I used what I had in the house, which happened to be a metallic gold paint, and upon removing the stencil it stopped me in my tracks… this was it!”

That spontaneous moment defined the look and feel of NuNorthern Soul’s retrospective series — tactile, handmade, and quietly timeless. His use of metallic tones, earthy palettes and subtle textures speaks to the same human warmth and depth found in the music.

“Colour wise, I had a vision of those Reader’s Digest books that gathered dust on your parent’s bookshelf — those beautiful greens, blues, browns, burnt oranges — and how they’d look together on the record shelf,” says Chris.

For this latest edition, inspired by the life and legacy of Jasper Van't Hof, Chris refined his process even further.

“With Jasper, I made two stencils, and the results give it so much more depth. Mixing my love of art with music is a dream come true. The art was created because I played records. To then take out records with my art on the front will never fail to blow my mind.”

Art and Music in Harmony

That balance between music and visual craft is at the heart of what NuNorthern Soul stands for — where design doesn’t just decorate, but deepens the story. Chris’s latest work captures the rhythmic energy and spiritual warmth of Pili Pili perfectly — bold yet understated, textured yet free-flowing.

As Pili Pili – Selected Works 1984–2002 joins the NuNorthern Soul catalogue, it stands as another reminder that when art and music move together with intent, they create something that lasts.

Follow Chris over on his Cut & Pasted Instagram

Order your copy of Jasper Van’t Hof’s Pili Pili: Selected Works 1984 to 2002 here.