Analysis of an indie text -
Hard Fi: Cash Machine
Step One
The words present on the album cover are "Hard-Fi Cash Machine" and some illegible graffitti. The iconic signs present are the graffitti. The non-representational graphics present is the image of a cash machine.
Step Two
The signs relate to one another in many ways; there is no juxtaposition from text to image, quite the opposite; they are being blatantly obvious in their amplification of the title 'Cash machine' with an image of a cash machine. The signs relate by being 'ordinary' in nature; one would expect to pass a cash machine with graffitti near it in any urban location in Britain, and therefore they construct an urban signifier. This is a shared cultural sign, another example would be a red phone box. This connotes a sense of British patriotism, or ironically so. They signify a product that is recent, lower or working class, un-hampered with an idealistic view on society by including the vandalism and not including any form of traditional 'art work' or advertising means.
Step Three
The social myths that this draws upon are postmodernism; the theory that you construct your identity through what you consume, yet in a way that contrasts to this; Hard-Fi are being purposefully redundant and absent, reinforcing the indie culture that there are no rules. Therefore, by consuming this product you are also rebellious, creating an image of yourself that is indie and urban with an ironic view on capitalist society. There are many other audience readings, however, to the formula of the signs; another reading could be that Hard-Fi are in fact conforming to some pop culture stereotypes by anchoring themselves with images of an urban location. The blatant amplification of 'Cash machine' with an image thus could be construed as being amusing as well as rebellious, another key icon from indie culture.
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