For years, graphic designers and fans have attempted to identify the typeface used on the cover of Zaba . Searches for the exact font have consistently come up empty because it was never a font to begin with. The word ZABA appears on the cover in a bold, bright yellow, set against a dark, murky background of purple, blue, and green watercolor washes.
The primary typeface used for the Glass Animals logo and much of the album's associated text is . This serif display typeface was created by Elisha Pechey and released posthumously in 1905 by the Stephenson Blake type foundry.
: The primary visual tool for expressing this chunky, friendly aesthetic.
Many typography forums argue that the Zaba font is a heavily modified version of a or Bodoni style typeface. These are "Modern" serifs from the late 18th century. They are famous for their dramatic thin-to-thick transitions. glass animals zaba font
: A sharp, geometric font with experimental crossbars that captures the alternative, modern-tribal look.
The custom Zaba lettering proved that typography does not just read—it feels. By ditching traditional digital fonts in favor of bespoke, hand-crafted art, Glass Animals and Victo Ngai created a timeless visual language that continues to inspire designers and captivate fans over a decade later.
The best way to get an authentic Zaba look is to modify existing fonts in Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop: For years, graphic designers and fans have attempted
The Zaba font is not a standard, off-the-shelf Adobe or Google typeface. It is custom, distorted, and heavily stylized. If you look closely at the album cover (the standard version with the snake and the black background), the word "GLASS ANIMALS" appears above the temple, and "ZABA" sits below the snake.
Use illustrations of Monstera leaves, cocoa pods, and palm fronds. The artwork often "tucks" the text behind the leaves to create depth. The "Shadow" Effect:
In the pantheon of modern psychedelic pop, few debut albums have established a visual identity as instantly recognizable as Glass Animals’ Zaba . Released in 2014, the album is a humid, hypnotic journey into a mythical jungle. While the music—driven by slinking basslines and frontman Dave Bayley’s whispery falsetto—creates the atmosphere, the album’s typography builds the gateway. For nearly a decade, fans, designers, and typographers have been obsessed with a single question: What is the Glass Animals Zaba font? The primary typeface used for the Glass Animals
The best way to get an authentic ZABA look is to create it yourself using vector software like Adobe Illustrator.
Remember: the Zaba font isn't just about the letter shapes; it is about the texture. To truly replicate the look, take a clean serif font (like Playfair Display) and apply a "grunge" or "roughen" effect in Photoshop or Illustrator. Add grain. Scan it. Print it out and scan it again. That analog degradation is the Zaba secret sauce.
The typography of ZABA remains a masterclass in how a band can use simple geometric presentation to anchor a highly complex, illustrative visual world. It proves that typography does not merely label an album—it sets the climate for the music itself. If you want to recreate this look, let me know:
Because the artwork was so deeply organic and fantastical, a standard, off-the-shelf digital font would have looked out of place. To maintain visual harmony, Ngai hand-lettered the typography to ensure it felt like an extension of the jungle itself. Key Design Characteristics of the Custom Lettering