Mos Def has a new album out called “The Ecstatic”. He also has a unique way of promoting it. T-Shirts for the album have the interpolating cover art on the front, its tracklist on the back, and a download code for the album on a hang tag. Claiming to be the first ever “music tee”, the shirts are produced by music/fasion company Invisible DJ, working with the fashion designer LnA (a concept piece is pictured – why is it that if something is to be “high-brow” it has to feature beautiful people looking bored?).

Stories like the one on Pitchfork imply that this is not a one time deal. That this is only the first of what could be many albums distributed via “the music tee format” (Santigold and Mike Snow productions are supposedly in the works).

While its a cute idea I’m disappointed because isn’t nearly innovative enough. By now we can all agree that digital distribution is here to stay. There are interesting experiments happening. Raidohead or Saul Williams (In Rainbows and The Rise and Fall of Niggy Stardust, repespectively, where you pay what you want), or Nine Inch Nails (give the digital copies away but create killer physical items that collectors pine for) are happening.

Putting a download code inside a t-shirt is just a purchasing physical media in a different form. And the shirts aren’t cheap – $39. Granted, you get the album too. But supposing that an album in digital format is worth $10 (which is debatable) that still means the t-shirt is $29 – slightly better than buying shirts at some concerts, but not much.

Still, it is better than just producing another album and hoping that it breaks the inevitable trend of plummeting CD sales. If you want yours the new Mos Def music tee will be available July 7th.