{"product_id":"modern-nature-island-of-noise","title":"Modern Nature - Island Of Noise","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA South album of the year 2021. Read more \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.southrecordshop.com\/blogs\/news\/records-of-the-year-2021\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/www.southrecordshop.com\/blogs\/news\/records-of-the-year-2021\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ehere\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExclusive Further Listening Playlist \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.southrecordshop.com\/blogs\/news\/modern-nature-further-listening-playlist\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eHERE\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSince the demise of his previous band Ultimate Painting, Jack Cooper – under his Modern Nature guise – has never stopped looking ahead, exploring and reaching for something further. Since 2019, he’s released an EP, last year’s mini album \u003cem\u003eAnnual\u003c\/em\u003e, one full length LP, one 7” and three live cassettes – in the process mapping out astonishing new terrain. \u003cem\u003eIsland Of Noise\u003c\/em\u003e presents an obvious new peak in his discography.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOver the last 12 months, Cooper has constructed a beautiful, free-flowing box set’s worth of material featuring a new album, a separate and equally engaging instrumental interpretation of the album and an accompanying book featuring the work of wide-ranging, non-musical artists (including Booker-nominated poet \u003cstrong\u003eRobin Robertson\u003c\/strong\u003e, mycologist \u003cstrong\u003eMerlin Sheldrake\u003c\/strong\u003e, illustrator \u003cstrong\u003eSophy Hollington,\u003c\/strong\u003e and writer \u003cstrong\u003eRichard King\u003c\/strong\u003e) that reinterpret, deconstruct or take inspiration from the 10 tracks on the record. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIsland Of Noise\u003c\/em\u003e represents an absolute career highlight, combining Cooper’s celebrated songwriting and compositional skills with a free flowing expansiveness coloured by British free music luminaries such as saxophonist \u003cstrong\u003eEvan Parker\u003c\/strong\u003e, pianist \u003cstrong\u003eAlexander Hawkins\u003c\/strong\u003e, bassist \u003cstrong\u003eJohn Edwards \u003c\/strong\u003eand violinist \u003cstrong\u003eAlison Cotton\u003c\/strong\u003e, as well as long term collaborators \u003cstrong\u003eJeff Tobias\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eJim Wallis\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Be not afeard, the isle is full of noises”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn re-reading \u003cem\u003eThe Tempest\u003c\/em\u003e in 2019, Cooper was moved to write this quote on the wall of his workshop and doing so sparked the initial ideas and activity that culminated in this record. The short quote, part of a longer passage spoken by Caliban, “summed up what I was thinking about at the time, from the nature of music, noise and silence, to the chaos and confusion that seemed impossible to navigate.” says Cooper. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe rich imagery and themes of \u003cem\u003eThe Tempest \u003c\/em\u003ehave long been a springboard for artists, from Derek Jarman's unnerving adaptation and Sibelius’ \u003cem\u003eStormen\u003c\/em\u003e to Jackson Pollock’s \u003cem\u003eFull Fathom Five\u003c\/em\u003e, but it was the setting of an island and the insular framework it represented that appealed as a way of elaborating on the musical and lyrical themes Modern Nature has been exploring since their first record in 2019.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I imagined the island's landscape and how it would change and shift through the record. My guitar, \u003cstrong\u003eJim Wallis\u003c\/strong\u003e’ drums and \u003cstrong\u003eJohn Edwards\u003c\/strong\u003e’ bass would represent a slowly evolving landscape that would provide the bedrock for the other instruments to colour. The forests, the valleys and the life would be represented by an orchestra of improvisers and classical musicians, working around certain modes and composed melodies.” \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStanding in the edgelands, where the concrete meets the forest; the island's story is told through the eyes of an outsider, arriving and trying to make sense of the mystery and chaos. What do they make of the island’s systems, its customs, the inhabitants and their beliefs. How would an outsider interpret the inequality and divide? Where would they find solace, compassion and friendship?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe album was completed during a relaxation of the pandemic restrictions and for Cooper and his fellow musicians, its recording came to represent a sanctuary in itself. The feeling of freedom with which they made the record allowed for hours of improvisation and experimentation, resulting in a companion record called \u003cem\u003eIsland Of Silence\u003c\/em\u003e; a more impressionistic instrumental picture of the island and its music.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eElaborating one step further, Cooper approached ten artists he felt an affinity towards (including Booker-nominated poet \u003cstrong\u003eRobin Robertson\u003c\/strong\u003e, mycologist \u003cstrong\u003eMerlin Sheldrake\u003c\/strong\u003e, illustrator \u003cstrong\u003eSophy Hollington\u003c\/strong\u003e, polymath \u003cstrong\u003eEugene Chadbourne\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cem\u003eThe Lark Ascending\u003c\/em\u003e author \u003cstrong\u003eRichard King\u003c\/strong\u003e) and asked them to reinterpret, deconstruct or take inspiration from one of the ten pieces of music for an accompanying book. \u003cem\u003eIsland Of Noise\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eIsland Of Silence\u003c\/em\u003e were both recorded on 2” tape with long-term collaborator and co-producer Ed Deegan and then cut directly to vinyl. Similar attention has been paid to the production of the book and box-set, with all of the material, including the vinyl, sourced from recycled and sustainable materials.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCooper once said: “With every song we record or musician we gain, another door seems to open on a route that’s worth pursuing.”\u003cspan\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eMore than ever, this rings true on \u003cem\u003eIsland Of Noise\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eIsland Of Silence\u003c\/em\u003e, with the musicians sharing a collective vision that builds the most cohesive and exploratory version of Modern Nature yet. \u003cem\u003eIsland Of Noise\u003c\/em\u003e fits beautifully between genres sitting alongside (modern) classics like Mark Hollis’ \u003cem\u003eMark Hollis\u003c\/em\u003e, David Sylvian’s \u003cem\u003eBlemish\u003c\/em\u003e, Bert Jansch’s \u003cem\u003eBirthday Blues\u003c\/em\u003e and Scritti Politti’s \u003cem\u003eSongs To Remember\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLike those, this is an album that may confound or challenge some, but will stand the test of time to those that open themselves up to Modern Nature. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDo you see it?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAvailable on 180g recycled vinyl, and as limited edition vinyl boxset:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIsland of Noise – Pressed on 180g Recycled Vinyl\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIsland of Silence (Expanded Instrumental Version of the Album) – Pressed on 180g Recycled Vinyl\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e36pg Perfect Bound Booklet with 10 contributions from artists \u0026amp; writers in conjunction with, and inspired by, a song on the album. Contributors include Sophy Hollington, Evan Parker, Merlin Sheldrake and Robin Robertson.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHoused in a slipcase with 100% recycled and FSC approved wrap.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIncludes Download.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLimited to 1000 copies\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"South Records Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Boxset","offer_id":64322971861369,"sku":null,"price":41.29,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"LP","offer_id":64322971894137,"sku":null,"price":15.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0973\/1463\/6153\/files\/ModernNatureIslandofNoise_Artwork_423efa67-acf4-4c2a-84e0-af09c48e064a.jpg?v=1787904294","url":"https:\/\/vinyl-relic.com\/products\/modern-nature-island-of-noise","provider":"My Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}