Modern Nature, the band of English singer, songwriter, and guitarist Jack Cooper, is back with a fourth album, "The Heat Warps."
While touring Modern Nature’s last album, No Fixed Point In Space (2023), it became clear to Jack Cooper, the band's primary creative force, that they were already moving away from the free-for-all, open-ended approach they’d dedicated five years of work to. As they naturally locked into more fixed grooves, he realised a new direction had been taken. Their new album — The Heat Warps — is the triumphant manifestation of that new direction.
In line with this, Cooper’s writing, which had become increasingly impressionistic, sharpened its focus and the idea of making an album that followed the same path as the previous two felt increasingly obtuse. The goal was to make a radical change. The core trio of himself, Jim Wallis (drums), and Jeff Tobias (bass guitar) is joined by a new guitarist, Tara Cunningham.
Modern Nature’s recent recordings reflected an insular life. Cooper moved to the countryside in 2021 and, in his words, “went into hibernation” while starting a family. He felt this new band was symbolic of his reawakening and the perfect vessel to continue exploring the themes he’s sung about with Modern Nature—collectivism, our relationship to the natural world, the weight of consciousness—but with greater frankness and determination. Key to this was the new two-guitar sound.
“I’ve always been drawn to bands where two guitar players work together to move and colour the rhythm section,” Cooper explains. “I’d been listening to the demos Television had made with Brian Eno back in the day and, that evening, played with Tara for the first time at an improvisational music gig. We have a very similar approach to guitar and that extends to how we sing, which gives the music an interesting balance.”
“What we do is a mirror, a symmetry on either side of what Jim and Jeff do in the rhythm section. We’ve played with loads of amazing musicians who continue to gravitate around what we do, but joining the band felt like Tara found the other side of the square. Previous albums featured upwards of fifteen people but it was obvious the four of us could achieve something more powerful and direct.”
Since Modern Nature has been a band, the world has undeniably shifted. The words Cooper wrote previously were somewhat ambiguous, but he was starting to feel that his position lacked incision, and this was something he needed to address.
“Every day we’re faced with a confusing and frightening world,” he explains. “To make music and to create something beautiful, that’s all I know how to do.
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