I always wonder why this band doesnt' get more attention. In fact, in writing this, I feel a bit guilty that I'm doing it a week after the album's official release date. That's another way of saying that No Fixed Point in Space is, like every Modern Nature record before it, not something to take for granted.
Jack Cooper (Ultimiate Painting) has taken up the mantle of the late Mark Hollis maybe more than ever. "Tonic" unfolds with the same sort of graceful progression that anchored Talk Talk's Spirit of Eden, even as "Murmuration" suggests something more ruminative and restless. The tune is serene on the surface, but there are nudges and insistent pieces of this that create a quiet sort of tension between the bliss and the sonic exploration. Elsewhere, "Sun" eases itself into the light, pluckings of acoustic guitar sprinkling ideas throughout this one and "Cascade". Closer "Ensõ" may earn comparisions to The Incredible String Band or Robert Wyatt, but I found the track sublime on its own terms.
Modern Nature have refined their sound. There's always been a precision here, but also a sense of improvisation given the instrumentation involved in any Modern Nature record. Contributions from Alex Ward (Spiritualized) and mainstay Jeff Tobias (Sunwatchers) add nuance and shape to these compositions, but special praise goes to the legendary Julie Driscoll (Julie Tippetts) as it is her backing vocals which provide the heart and spark to a few of these tracks. But all of No Fixed Point in Space is special. It's a record to be listened to carefully, and in one sitting. Music that, despite all outward appearances, may not be demanding much of a listener, but which is, of course, roiling with emotion and coiled fervor. In other words, don't mistake the quiet here for an abscence of musical passion.
No Fixed Point in Space is out now via Bella Union. Details below too.
[Photo: Modern Nature Bandcamp]