By the time Bowie released Low, he already had a reputation for releasing odd, futuristic music. Low raised the ante considerably, moving headlong into expressionist tone poems that evoked futurism without the deliberate affectations of his various personas. The album's packaging is incredibly austere, consisting solely of a profile shot on the front cover, with the rear panel totally blank. Such simplicity suits the contents well. Taking into account all that Bowie had done previously, Low is a unique artistic statement.