A couple weeks back, my mom visited Richmond for dinner and a Duke game. She brought a perfectly roasted chicken and a late Christmas present: Asaf Avidan’s Gold Shadow album on vinyl, which came from a seller in Israel (Avidan is Israeli, and that’s where the record was pressed). That’s the inner sleeve art above.

I thought I’d also share a few pictures of the postage and packaging, which was really striking. The look of the stamps is what initially grabbed me, but looking into what’s represented on them — the Cyrus Cylinder and the Battle of Beersheba — has been an education. The ancillary benefits of physical media, y’all.

Asaf Avidan — “Over My Head” [Spotify/iTunes]