Use Abril Display or Caslon Graphique as your base.
When Glass Animals dropped their debut album Zaba in 2014, listeners were immediately transported into a humid, hypnotic jungle. The music—a slinky blend of trip-hop beats, tropical percussion, and Dave Bayley’s whispery falsetto—was unlike anything else on the radio. But before a single note played, the album’s visual identity grabbed you by the throat.
Specifically, look at the letter in "ZABA." The apex (the top point) is sharp enough to draw blood, but the left leg is thicker than the right. That asymmetry is a clue: it is custom lettering, not a font. Why You Can’t Download the "Official" Zaba Font Here is the hard truth for designers: There is no downloadable "Glass Animals Zaba font." glass animals zaba font
Do not type in a straight line. In design software, use an envelope distort or a wave filter. The Zaba typography often feels like it is melting or growing like a vine.
So stop searching for the ghost file. Open your design software, grab a Didot-style typeface, and let it grow wild. After all, as Dave Bayley sings: "You just want to be a creep, yeah, crawling in the jungle." Do you know a better font match for the Glass Animals Zaba font? Let us know in the comments below. And if you want to learn how to design album covers for the streaming era, check out our guide to vintage digital aesthetics. Use Abril Display or Caslon Graphique as your base
The Zaba cover uses dark greens, blacks, and glowing neon cyan/gold. However, the Zaba era singles (like "Gooey" and "Hazey") used stark black and white. Use a photocopier effect: high contrast, blown-out highlights, and dust artifacts. The "Gooey" Connection 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). Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 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.
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. But before a single note played, the album’s
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. Conclusion: The Legend of the Lost Typeface The search for the Glass Animals Zaba font is a rite of passage for fans and designers. It is elusive because it was never meant to be a font. It is a piece of art created for a specific moment: the arrival of one of the most unique psychedelic pop albums of the 2010s.