The intention with Capo was to make a typeface with a pinched, angled connection between curves and verticals. We have explored this incised, cut motif previously on typefaces, most notably Noah, Sabre and Harbour. These have focussed more specifically on stone-cut forms.

For Capo we wanted to mix the expressive quality of its ‘pinch’ idea with an overall aesthetic that could be applied to text rather than headline. So Capo has something of the function and warm, organic quality of Grotesque style typefaces.

In Capo’s Bold and Black weights the sharpness of the letter shapes is more dramatic and emphasised, making for great effect for large-sized text.

Why Capo? A capo is a device used on the neck of a stringed (typically fretted) instrument to shorten the playable length of the strings by pinching or clamping them in place, hence raising the pitch.