Because the original text is hand-rendered, there is no exact "ZABA.ttf" file. However, designers and fans looking to replicate the style often point to specific typefaces that capture its bold, humanist essence:
The official typeface used for the album artwork of Glass Animals' 2014 debut album Zaba is , but rather a custom, hand-drawn typography set created by artist and illustrator Victo Ngai .
While nothing matches the exact hand-drawn nature of Ngai's work, several font styles share its DNA. Look for fonts categorized under , Art Nouveau , or Organic Display .
The typography of Zaba is just one element of a meticulously designed visual world. The artwork, a richly detailed watercolour illustration by Micah Lidberg, depicts a surreal, cosmic jungle teeming with hidden creatures and planetary constellations. This "bright, happy, and chaotic" aesthetic provides the perfect backdrop for the hand-drawn lettering, creating a seamless blend of illustration and typography. glass animals zaba font
By utilizing thick, geometric lines, the font cuts through the visual noise of the colorful jungle. The gold-foil stamping used on the physical vinyl release further elevated the type, turning the minimalist letters into premium, artifact-like emblems. How to Create Your Own ZABA-Style Text
The Typography of Glass Animals’ Zaba : Decoding the Jungle Aesthetic
Furthermore, the physical presentation of the typography is not simply printed. On the album's physical releases, such as the double gatefold card sleeve, the text is applied using . This metallic application gives the lettering a tangible, luxurious quality, contrasting with the matte, shadowy illustrations. This interplay of dark, detailed art with bright, gleaming text creates a striking juxtaposition that ensures the title and band name are prominent and unforgettable. Because the original text is hand-rendered, there is
Any very heavy, almost blocky sans-serif will give a similar vibe.
While many bands opt for stylized or hand-drawn logos, Zaba features a typeface that is extremely heavy, geometric, and sans-serif. Gill Sans UltraBold is characterized by:
| Usage | Typeface | Why it fits | |-------|----------|--------------| | | Avenir Next Condensed (Light/Regular) | Clean, neutral, geometric sans-serif. Provides contrast to the organic logo. | | “Glass Animals” band name (Zaba era) | Custom-drawn (similar to above) but sometimes Times New Roman (heavily distressed) | On some early singles (e.g., “Black Mambo”), the band name appears in a distressed, almost burned-into-wood serif. | | Lyric videos / “Gooey” text | Hand-drawn script | Often wavy, dripping, or distorted—custom for each video. | Look for fonts categorized under , Art Nouveau
Because the title ZABA only consists of three unique letters (Z, A, B), the easiest way to get the exact look is to recreate it manually in vector software like Adobe Illustrator or Figma:
Letters like 'A' are completely solid triangles without the internal negative space (the hole).
Type your text using a clean, heavy font like Futura Bold or Montserrat. Convert to Outlines: Turn the text into vector shapes.
Search platforms like Behance, Google Fonts, or Adobe Fonts for "organic display" or "boho geometric" typefaces. 2. Custom Modification (The Designer's Route)