Island Of Noise - Modern Nature (2021)

It’s funny that I queued this one up the day after Agnostic Front’s 80s hardcore masterpiece. On the surface, these two records couldn’t be more different. But after getting into it, you realize that they kind of have the same methodology, even though the music is radically different. They’re both about stripping out what you find unnecessary and then sitting with that simplicity.

For Agnostic Front, what was unnecessary was pop song structures, harmonies and counter-melodies, and layers of instrumentation. So their solution was to strip it back to the bare minimum of what they wanted to get out.

Modern Nature has different things they think are essential. Pace and contrast are important to them, and they cut out everything that doesn’t reflect that. Very oddly punk.

On the first track, they start with a fast-paced horn line, but then they contrast that with a slower line that comes in in the bass, related but distinct. By the time the horn comes back at the very end, it’s settled in and is playing basically the same part as everyone else.

From there, they build into songs with words. The vocals add another element to develop and contrast with the other instruments. It’s all light and breezy. It’s also tightly played. In funkier music you might say they were “in the pocket.” Here it’s kind of an odd-sounding pocket, but they’re definitely all flowing together to create this hypnotic rhythmic effect. Then when the trumpet or the viola do play something slightly dissonant or cut across that rhythm, it really stands out.

Tracks I liked:

Dunes - the vocal soars on a bed of bass and sax

Performance - maybe the closest they get to a groove

Masque - a little more jazz than most tracks here

Brigade - driving and purposeful, with some of the most committed performances on the record