The Earliest Artifact
Every artifact begins with a moment.
This was ours.
The Dead Milkmen
Big Lizard in My Backyard
(40th Anniversary)
In 2025, we partnered with The Dead Milkmen to reimagine their debut album, Big Lizard in My Backyard, as a limited physical release for Record Store Day.
At the time, we weren't calling it an artifact.
But, looking back, it was the first time we began to treat an album as something more than music.
What We Made
We approached the project with intention.
Not just how it sounded — but how it felt in your hands.
"I own an OG copy and this copy blows it out the water, way more dynamic…you'll hear the difference and dynamics on Plumb Dumb (sounds I've never heard in the original)." — Discogs review, 2025
The release featured:
• A custom die-cut gatefold with a removable lenticular cover
• A bonus LP of previously unreleased studio outtakes
• Thoughtful archival design meant to elevate the experience beyond a standard pressing
It wasn't meant to be a reinvention. It was meant to respect the record — and extend it thoughtfully.
What Happened
3,500
units pressed
2×+
secondary market price overnight
4,800
additional units ordered by RSD Essentials
They sold out immediately. Overnight, copies began appearing on the secondary market for more than double the original price.
The release landed on the Billboard Indie Store Album Sales chart. Shortly after, Record Store Day Essentials placed an additional order for 4,800 units.
What It Confirmed
This project confirmed something simple:
Fans want a deeper connection to the music they care about.
Not just access — but something tangible.
In a world of infinite access, what people are really looking for is something they can hold onto. That's what we aim to provide.
What We Learned
It also made something clear to us:
The most meaningful artifacts don't come from packaging.
They come from the artist's real story.
The moments, decisions, and context that shaped the work.
Those are the things that usually get lost.
And those are the things worth preserving.
Where We're Going
The earliest artifact was about the music.
The next ones go further.
They expand into the story. More documentation. More context. More innovation and intention.
Not just something to listen to.
Something to revisit.
A physical object worth holding on to.
The Work Continues
This was the first step. The next artifacts will go deeper — and they'll be built from the inside out, in collaboration with the artists themselves.