Modern Nature - Island Of Noise CD (Mega Blowout Sale)
SKU
23-Bella 1223
I stumbled on this one by chance and it’s strange and strangely alluring! Alexander Hawkins and Evan Parker appear here, among a number of others. Sparse, but also nicely orchestrated. Recommended.
“A meandering blend of bucolic folk, experimental jazz, and psych-tinged indie rock, Modern Nature is a project led by British musician Jack Cooper. They made a strong critical impression with their 2019 debut How to Live, which introduced the amorphous musical style that has become their calling card. The group made an even bigger statement with 2021's double album Island of Noise. Its nature-driven themes and hypnotic mix of improvisation and structured composition were further expanded on their third record, 2023's No Fixed Point in Space.
After the 2018 breakup of Cooper's former band, the acclaimed indie rock outfit Ultimate Painting, he began working with Will Young (Beak, Moon Gangs) on a new venture that took cues from the classic British folk of Bert Jansch and the exploratory jazz of Alice Coltrane, and fused it with elements of the indie rock from which they came.
For an album rooted in the mulch of Britain's flora and fauna, Modern Nature's third LP is remarkably light and airy. Island of Noise expands upon the U.K. combo's mesmeric collision of folk, jazz, and indie rock, which they pair here with an elaborate booklet of poems, essays, and artwork sourced from various unusual collaborators. Avant-garde guitarist and critic Eugene Chadbourne and mycologist (one who studies fungi) Merlin Sheldrake are among the contributors to the album's physical presentation. There is also an accompanying film, should fans wish to experience every single aspect.
Musically, Island of Noise has the meandering flow of a waterway, its horns and springy guitars expanding and contracting with the contours of its journey. Helmed by singer, songwriter, and guitarist Jack Cooper, Modern Nature resembles a neat fusion of Tortoise's rhythmic post-rock and the Clientele's hushed romanticism.
Vintage '60s and '70s U.K. folk-rock seems to be another touchstone, though this album benefits from a surprisingly clean and modern production aesthetic. Songs like "Performance" and "Masque" practically leap out of the speakers in their organic transparency and lack of obvious effects. Largely composed of clean electric guitar, drums, double bass, and horn improvisations, there is something of a jazz session feel to it, though Cooper's half-whispered incantations and gentle melodies flirt with indie pop.”-AllMusic
- LabelBella Union
- UPC5400863076511