Slab Contrasted Diru 9 is a very bold, wide, medium contrast, italic, normal x-height font visually similar to 'Polyphonic' by Monotype (names referenced only for comparison).
Keywords: posters, headlines, sports branding, packaging, merchandise, retro, athletic, confident, punchy, friendly, display impact, sense of motion, retro flavor, brand presence, bracketed, rounded, ink-trap hints, compact counters, lively rhythm.
A heavy, right-slanted slab serif with chunky, bracketed serifs and rounded joins that soften the mass. Strokes show noticeable, but not extreme, modulation, and the italic construction creates a forward-leaning rhythm with energetic diagonals. Counters are relatively compact and apertures tend to be somewhat closed, giving the face a dense, poster-ready color. Terminals and serifs have a slightly carved, wedge-like feel, and several letters show subtle notch/ink-trap-like shaping where strokes meet, helping maintain clarity at this weight.
Best suited to display applications where impact matters: posters, large headlines, sports branding, merchandise, and bold packaging callouts. It can work for short blurbs or subheads when ample size and spacing are available, but the dense counters make it less ideal for long passages at small sizes.
The overall tone feels bold and upbeat, with a distinctly retro, sports-and-headlines attitude. Its strong slabbing and pronounced slant project motion and confidence, while the rounded shaping keeps it approachable rather than harsh.
The design appears intended to deliver maximum punch and motion through a bold italic stance, sturdy slab serifs, and a compact, high-ink silhouette. It aims for a vintage-meets-sport sensibility that stays readable while prioritizing strong personality in large-scale settings.
In text, the combination of dense interiors and heavy slabs produces strong texture and high visual presence, especially at display sizes. The figures match the letterweight closely, reading as sturdy and attention-getting rather than delicate or technical.