Short answer: No. The Zaba logotype is not a standard, off-the-shelf font. It is a custom-drawn wordmark created specifically for the album.
Long answer: Extensive searches through font libraries (MyFonts, Fonts In Use, WhatTheFont) confirm that the “Zaba” lettering does not match any existing typeface. It was almost certainly designed by the band’s long-time creative collaborator, Micah “Mosh” Taylor (who has done most of their artwork) or a studio like Young Replicant (known for organic, neo-tribal design).
Q: Is the Glass Animals Zaba font available on Canva? A: No. However, you can use Abril Display or Playfair Display on Canva. Apply a heavy "Texture" effect (found in the "Effects" tab) to grunge it up.
Q: What font does Glass Animals use for their current merch (Dreamland era)? A: The Dreamland era uses a completely different typography style. It is a retro, thick 1970s serif reminiscent of Cooper Black or ITC Souvenir. The Zaba font is unique to that debut album. glass animals zaba font
Q: Can I use the Zaba font for my own band’s logo? A: Legally, you cannot steal the custom lettering. But stylistically? Absolutely. Take the inspiration—the sharp serifs, the dense layout, the jungle grit—and create your own original mark.
Start with a high-contrant, delicate serif like:
It is worth noting that the music video for Gooey uses a different, handwritten script font for its title card. Do not confuse this with the Zaba album font. The album font is rigid and carved; the Gooey video font is fluid and hand-painted. The Zaba font represents the structure of the jungle (trees, temples, bones), while the music represents the fluidity (water, salivation, haze). Short answer: No
While the Zaba logo is custom, the album’s liner notes, music videos, and early promo materials use two key typefaces:
| Usage | Typeface | Why it fits | |-------|----------|--------------| | Album credits, small text | 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. |
Tungsten is the opposite of a serif—it is a compressed sans-serif. However, it captures the vertical, towering energy of the Zaba type. It feels industrial and organic at the same time. giving them a tactile
The album’s main title, however, is not Bliz. The blocky, stenciled, three-dimensional letters spelling “ZABA” are a bespoke creation by the band’s long-time creative collaborator, artist Micah Lidberg (who also painted the album’s iconic, kaleidoscopic cover art).
Lidberg’s lettering for “ZABA” is thick, wooden, and architectural—like tribal carvings or burnt-wood signage found deep in the jungle. The letterforms are rigid sans-serifs with interior cutouts (stencil gaps), giving them a tactile, hand-hewn quality. This contrasts brilliantly with the ethereal Bliz typeface, creating a dialogue between the physical (the jungle) and the spectral (the music).
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.