diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 3653aec..cbc72e6 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -2418,6 +2418,8 @@ dependencies = [
  "id3",
  "itertools 0.14.0",
  "kamadak-exif",
+ "mime",
+ "mime_guess",
  "pdf",
  "pile-config",
  "pile-flac",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 43bac9b..fa52637 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ rand = "0.10.0"
 strum = { version = "0.27.2", features = ["derive"] }
 walkdir = "2.5.0"
 mime = "0.3.17"
+mime_guess = "2.0.5"
 paste = "1.0.15"
 smartstring = "1.0.1"
 chrono = "0.4.43"
diff --git a/crates/pile-dataset/Cargo.toml b/crates/pile-dataset/Cargo.toml
index f52fcde..8e55456 100644
--- a/crates/pile-dataset/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/pile-dataset/Cargo.toml
@@ -30,3 +30,5 @@ tokio = { workspace = true }
 tokio-stream = { workspace = true }
 async-trait = { workspace = true }
 aws-sdk-s3 = { workspace = true }
+mime = { workspace = true }
+mime_guess = { workspace = true }
diff --git a/crates/pile-dataset/src/extract/flac.rs b/crates/pile-dataset/src/extract/flac.rs
index 0a42f01..bb3d872 100644
--- a/crates/pile-dataset/src/extract/flac.rs
+++ b/crates/pile-dataset/src/extract/flac.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
+use mime::Mime;
 use pile_config::Label;
 use pile_flac::{FlacBlock, FlacReader};
-use std::{collections::HashMap, io::BufReader, sync::OnceLock};
+use std::{
+	collections::HashMap,
+	io::BufReader,
+	sync::{Arc, OnceLock},
+};
 
 use crate::{Item, PileValue, SyncReadBridge, extract::Extractor};
 
@@ -34,20 +39,25 @@ impl<'a> FlacExtractor<'a> {
 		}
 
 		let reader = SyncReadBridge::new_current(self.item.read().await?);
-		let raw_tags = tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || {
+		let (raw_tags, raw_images) = tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || {
 			let reader = FlacReader::new(BufReader::new(reader));
 			let mut tags: Vec<(String, String)> = Vec::new();
+			let mut images: Vec<(Mime, Vec<u8>)> = Vec::new();
 			for block in reader {
-				if let FlacBlock::VorbisComment(comment) =
-					block.map_err(|e| std::io::Error::new(std::io::ErrorKind::InvalidData, e))?
-				{
-					for (k, v) in comment.comment.comments {
-						tags.push((k.to_string().to_lowercase(), v.into()));
+				match block.map_err(|e| std::io::Error::new(std::io::ErrorKind::InvalidData, e))? {
+					FlacBlock::VorbisComment(comment) => {
+						for (k, v) in comment.comment.comments {
+							tags.push((k.to_string().to_lowercase(), v.into()));
+						}
 					}
-					break;
+					FlacBlock::Picture(picture) => {
+						images.push((picture.mime, picture.img_data));
+					}
+					FlacBlock::AudioFrame(_) => break,
+					_ => {}
 				}
 			}
-			Ok::<_, std::io::Error>(tags)
+			Ok::<_, std::io::Error>((tags, images))
 		})
 		.await
 		.map_err(std::io::Error::other)??;
@@ -61,12 +71,24 @@ impl<'a> FlacExtractor<'a> {
 					.push(PileValue::String(v.into()));
 			}
 		}
-
-		let output = output
+		let mut output: HashMap<Label, PileValue<'a>> = output
 			.into_iter()
 			.map(|(k, v)| (k, PileValue::Array(v)))
 			.collect();
 
+		if !raw_images.is_empty() {
+			if let Some(label) = Label::new("images".to_string()) {
+				let images = raw_images
+					.into_iter()
+					.map(|(mime, data)| PileValue::Blob {
+						mime,
+						bytes: Arc::new(data),
+					})
+					.collect();
+				output.insert(label, PileValue::Array(images));
+			}
+		}
+
 		let _ = self.output.set(output);
 		#[expect(clippy::unwrap_used)]
 		return Ok(self.output.get().unwrap());
diff --git a/crates/pile-dataset/src/extract/toml.rs b/crates/pile-dataset/src/extract/toml.rs
index 4713084..6447441 100644
--- a/crates/pile-dataset/src/extract/toml.rs
+++ b/crates/pile-dataset/src/extract/toml.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use pile_config::Label;
 use std::{collections::HashMap, sync::OnceLock};
 
-use crate::{Item, PileValue, Reader, extract::Extractor};
+use crate::{AsyncReader, Item, PileValue, extract::Extractor};
 
 fn toml_to_pile(value: toml::Value) -> PileValue<'static> {
 	match value {
diff --git a/crates/pile-dataset/src/index/index_fts.rs b/crates/pile-dataset/src/index/index_fts.rs
index 2d5a03c..a5a7517 100644
--- a/crates/pile-dataset/src/index/index_fts.rs
+++ b/crates/pile-dataset/src/index/index_fts.rs
@@ -144,6 +144,8 @@ impl DbFtsIndex {
 
 			loop {
 				val = match val {
+					PileValue::String(x) => return Ok(Some(x.to_string())),
+
 					#[expect(clippy::unwrap_used)]
 					PileValue::Array(ref mut x) => {
 						if x.len() == 1 {
@@ -161,30 +163,37 @@ impl DbFtsIndex {
 								message = "Skipping field, is empty array",
 								field = field_name.to_string(),
 								?path,
-								//value = ?val
 							);
 							continue 'outer;
 						}
 					}
+
 					PileValue::Null => {
 						trace!(
 							message = "Skipping field, is null",
 							field = field_name.to_string(),
 							?path,
-							//value = ?val
 						);
 						continue 'outer;
 					}
+
 					PileValue::Extractor(_) => {
 						trace!(
 							message = "Skipping field, is object",
 							field = field_name.to_string(),
 							?path,
-							//value = ?val
 						);
 						continue 'outer;
 					}
-					PileValue::String(x) => return Ok(Some(x.to_string())),
+
+					PileValue::Blob { .. } => {
+						trace!(
+							message = "Skipping field, is blob",
+							field = field_name.to_string(),
+							?path,
+						);
+						continue 'outer;
+					}
 				}
 			}
 		}
@@ -291,6 +300,7 @@ pub fn apply<'a>(post: &FieldSpecPost, val: &PileValue<'a>) -> Option<PileValue<
 
 		FieldSpecPost::SetCase { case: Case::Lower } => match val {
 			PileValue::Null => return None,
+			PileValue::Blob { .. } => return None,
 			PileValue::Extractor(_) => return None,
 			PileValue::String(x) => PileValue::String(x.to_lowercase().into()),
 
@@ -301,6 +311,7 @@ pub fn apply<'a>(post: &FieldSpecPost, val: &PileValue<'a>) -> Option<PileValue<
 
 		FieldSpecPost::SetCase { case: Case::Upper } => match val {
 			PileValue::Null => return None,
+			PileValue::Blob { .. } => return None,
 			PileValue::Extractor(_) => return None,
 			PileValue::String(x) => PileValue::String(x.to_uppercase().into()),
 
@@ -311,6 +322,7 @@ pub fn apply<'a>(post: &FieldSpecPost, val: &PileValue<'a>) -> Option<PileValue<
 
 		FieldSpecPost::TrimSuffix { trim_suffix } => match val {
 			PileValue::Null => return None,
+			PileValue::Blob { .. } => return None,
 			PileValue::Extractor(_) => return None,
 
 			PileValue::String(x) => {
@@ -324,6 +336,7 @@ pub fn apply<'a>(post: &FieldSpecPost, val: &PileValue<'a>) -> Option<PileValue<
 
 		FieldSpecPost::TrimPrefix { trim_prefix } => match val {
 			PileValue::Null => return None,
+			PileValue::Blob { .. } => return None,
 			PileValue::Extractor(_) => return None,
 
 			PileValue::String(x) => {
@@ -337,6 +350,7 @@ pub fn apply<'a>(post: &FieldSpecPost, val: &PileValue<'a>) -> Option<PileValue<
 
 		FieldSpecPost::Join { join } => match val {
 			PileValue::Null => return None,
+			PileValue::Blob { .. } => return None,
 			PileValue::Extractor(_) => return None,
 
 			PileValue::String(x) => PileValue::String(x.clone()),
diff --git a/crates/pile-dataset/src/item.rs b/crates/pile-dataset/src/item.rs
index acaa664..778b9cd 100644
--- a/crates/pile-dataset/src/item.rs
+++ b/crates/pile-dataset/src/item.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use mime::Mime;
 use smartstring::{LazyCompact, SmartString};
 use std::{
 	fs::File,
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@ use crate::source::{DirDataSource, S3DataSource};
 pub enum Item {
 	File {
 		source: Arc<DirDataSource>,
+		mime: Mime,
 
 		path: PathBuf,
 		sidecar: Option<Box<Item>>,
@@ -24,6 +26,7 @@ pub enum Item {
 
 	S3 {
 		source: Arc<S3DataSource>,
+		mime: Mime,
 
 		key: SmartString<LazyCompact>,
 		sidecar: Option<Box<Item>>,
@@ -88,6 +91,13 @@ impl Item {
 		}
 	}
 
+	pub fn mime(&self) -> &Mime {
+		match self {
+			Self::File { mime, .. } => mime,
+			Self::S3 { mime, .. } => mime,
+		}
+	}
+
 	pub fn sidecar(&self) -> Option<&Self> {
 		match self {
 			Self::File { sidecar, .. } => sidecar.as_ref().map(|x| &**x),
@@ -100,15 +110,13 @@ impl Item {
 // MARK: reader
 //
 
-pub trait Reader: Send {
+pub trait AsyncReader: Send {
 	/// Read a chunk of bytes.
 	fn read(
 		&mut self,
 		buf: &mut [u8],
 	) -> impl Future<Output = Result<usize, std::io::Error>> + Send;
 
-	fn seek(&mut self, pos: SeekFrom) -> impl Future<Output = Result<u64, std::io::Error>> + Send;
-
 	/// Read all remaining bytes into a `Vec`.
 	fn read_to_end(&mut self) -> impl Future<Output = Result<Vec<u8>, std::io::Error>> + Send {
 		async {
@@ -126,6 +134,10 @@ pub trait Reader: Send {
 	}
 }
 
+pub trait AsyncSeekReader: AsyncReader {
+	fn seek(&mut self, pos: SeekFrom) -> impl Future<Output = Result<u64, std::io::Error>> + Send;
+}
+
 //
 // MARK: sync bridge
 //
@@ -135,12 +147,12 @@ pub trait Reader: Send {
 /// Never use this outside of [tokio::task::spawn_blocking],
 /// the async runtime will deadlock if this struct blocks
 /// the runtime.
-pub struct SyncReadBridge<R: Reader> {
+pub struct SyncReadBridge<R: AsyncReader> {
 	inner: R,
 	handle: Handle,
 }
 
-impl<R: Reader> SyncReadBridge<R> {
+impl<R: AsyncReader> SyncReadBridge<R> {
 	/// Creates a new adapter using a handle to the current runtime.
 	/// Panics if called outside of tokio
 	pub fn new_current(inner: R) -> Self {
@@ -153,13 +165,13 @@ impl<R: Reader> SyncReadBridge<R> {
 	}
 }
 
-impl<R: Reader> Read for SyncReadBridge<R> {
+impl<R: AsyncReader> Read for SyncReadBridge<R> {
 	fn read(&mut self, buf: &mut [u8]) -> Result<usize, std::io::Error> {
 		self.handle.block_on(self.inner.read(buf))
 	}
 }
 
-impl<R: Reader> Seek for SyncReadBridge<R> {
+impl<R: AsyncReader + AsyncSeekReader> Seek for SyncReadBridge<R> {
 	fn seek(&mut self, pos: SeekFrom) -> Result<u64, std::io::Error> {
 		self.handle.block_on(self.inner.seek(pos))
 	}
@@ -174,14 +186,16 @@ pub enum ItemReader {
 	S3(S3Reader),
 }
 
-impl Reader for ItemReader {
+impl AsyncReader for ItemReader {
 	async fn read(&mut self, buf: &mut [u8]) -> Result<usize, std::io::Error> {
 		match self {
 			Self::File(x) => std::io::Read::read(x, buf),
 			Self::S3(x) => x.read(buf).await,
 		}
 	}
+}
 
+impl AsyncSeekReader for ItemReader {
 	async fn seek(&mut self, pos: std::io::SeekFrom) -> Result<u64, std::io::Error> {
 		match self {
 			Self::File(x) => x.seek(pos),
@@ -202,7 +216,7 @@ pub struct S3Reader {
 	size: u64,
 }
 
-impl Reader for S3Reader {
+impl AsyncReader for S3Reader {
 	async fn read(&mut self, buf: &mut [u8]) -> Result<usize, std::io::Error> {
 		let len_left = self.size.saturating_sub(self.cursor);
 		if len_left == 0 || buf.is_empty() {
@@ -235,7 +249,9 @@ impl Reader for S3Reader {
 		self.cursor += n as u64;
 		Ok(n)
 	}
+}
 
+impl AsyncSeekReader for S3Reader {
 	async fn seek(&mut self, pos: SeekFrom) -> Result<u64, std::io::Error> {
 		match pos {
 			SeekFrom::Start(x) => self.cursor = x.min(self.size),
diff --git a/crates/pile-dataset/src/source/dir.rs b/crates/pile-dataset/src/source/dir.rs
index 7906586..8df2f71 100644
--- a/crates/pile-dataset/src/source/dir.rs
+++ b/crates/pile-dataset/src/source/dir.rs
@@ -42,10 +42,12 @@ impl DataSource for Arc<DirDataSource> {
 
 		return Ok(Some(Item::File {
 			source: Arc::clone(self),
+			mime: mime_guess::from_path(&key).first_or_octet_stream(),
 			path: key.clone(),
 			sidecar: self.sidecars.then(|| {
 				Box::new(Item::File {
 					source: Arc::clone(self),
+					mime: mime_guess::from_path(key.with_extension("toml")).first_or_octet_stream(),
 					path: key.with_extension("toml"),
 					sidecar: None,
 				})
@@ -83,11 +85,14 @@ impl DataSource for Arc<DirDataSource> {
 					Some("toml") if source.sidecars => continue,
 					Some(_) => Item::File {
 						source: Arc::clone(&source),
+						mime: mime_guess::from_path(&path).first_or_octet_stream(),
 						path: path.clone(),
 
 						sidecar: source.sidecars.then(|| {
 							Box::new(Item::File {
 								source: Arc::clone(&source),
+								mime: mime_guess::from_path(path.with_extension("toml"))
+									.first_or_octet_stream(),
 								path: path.with_extension("toml"),
 								sidecar: None,
 							})
diff --git a/crates/pile-dataset/src/source/s3.rs b/crates/pile-dataset/src/source/s3.rs
index 889bb2a..8525128 100644
--- a/crates/pile-dataset/src/source/s3.rs
+++ b/crates/pile-dataset/src/source/s3.rs
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ impl S3DataSource {
 
 	async fn make_item(self: &Arc<Self>, key: impl Into<SmartString<LazyCompact>>) -> Item {
 		let key: SmartString<LazyCompact> = key.into();
+		let mime = mime_guess::from_path(key.as_str()).first_or_octet_stream();
 
 		let sidecar = if self.sidecars {
 			self.find_sidecar_key(key.as_str())
@@ -99,6 +100,7 @@ impl S3DataSource {
 				.map(|sidecar_key| {
 					Box::new(Item::S3 {
 						source: Arc::clone(self),
+						mime: mime_guess::from_path(sidecar_key.as_str()).first_or_octet_stream(),
 						key: sidecar_key,
 						sidecar: None,
 					})
@@ -109,6 +111,7 @@ impl S3DataSource {
 
 		Item::S3 {
 			source: Arc::clone(self),
+			mime,
 			key,
 			sidecar,
 		}
diff --git a/crates/pile-dataset/src/value.rs b/crates/pile-dataset/src/value.rs
index 25d6bba..fef3cda 100644
--- a/crates/pile-dataset/src/value.rs
+++ b/crates/pile-dataset/src/value.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use mime::Mime;
 use pile_config::objectpath::{ObjectPath, PathSegment};
 use serde_json::{Map, Value};
 use smartstring::{LazyCompact, SmartString};
@@ -15,6 +16,12 @@ pub enum PileValue<'a> {
 	/// An array of values
 	Array(Vec<PileValue<'a>>),
 
+	/// A binary blob
+	Blob {
+		mime: Mime,
+		bytes: Arc<Vec<u8>>,
+	},
+
 	/// A lazily-computed map of {label: value}
 	Extractor(Arc<dyn Extractor + 'a>),
 }
@@ -26,6 +33,10 @@ impl Clone for PileValue<'_> {
 			Self::String(x) => Self::String(x.clone()),
 			Self::Array(x) => Self::Array(x.clone()),
 			Self::Extractor(x) => Self::Extractor(x.clone()),
+			Self::Blob { mime, bytes } => Self::Blob {
+				mime: mime.clone(),
+				bytes: bytes.clone(),
+			},
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -43,6 +54,7 @@ impl<'a> PileValue<'a> {
 						Some(Self::Null) => None,
 						Some(Self::Array(_)) => None,
 						Some(Self::String(_)) => None,
+						Some(Self::Blob { .. }) => None,
 						Some(Self::Extractor(e)) => e.field(field).await?,
 					}
 				}
@@ -51,6 +63,7 @@ impl<'a> PileValue<'a> {
 					out = match &out {
 						None => return Ok(None),
 						Some(Self::Null) => None,
+						Some(Self::Blob { .. }) => None,
 						Some(Self::Array(v)) => {
 							let idx = if *idx >= 0 {
 								usize::try_from(*idx).ok()
@@ -80,6 +93,11 @@ impl<'a> PileValue<'a> {
 	pub async fn to_json(&self) -> Result<Value, std::io::Error> {
 		Ok(match self {
 			Self::Null => Value::Null,
+
+			// TODO: replace with something meaningful
+			Self::Blob { mime, bytes } => {
+				Value::String(format!("<Blob ({mime}, {} bytes)>", bytes.len()))
+			}
 			Self::String(x) => Value::String(x.to_string()),
 
 			Self::Array(x) => {