Song of the Day: Jane Weaver - Modern Kosmology

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJ’s think you should hear. Today’s song, featured on The Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole, is the title track “Modern Kosmology” by Jane Weaver from the 2017 album Modern Kosmology out on Fire Records.Jane Weaver - Modern Kosmology (MP3)From her earliest Britpop project Kill Laura being championed by John Peel in the '90s to now with the release of her eighth solo album Modern Kosmology, Jane Weaver has amassed a career of over twenty-two years as a sonic architect in the psych-pop and folktronica singer-songwriter world. In 2002, the chanteuse from Cheshire took over as captain of Bird Records -- a spoke from the cog of Twisted Nerve Records and the reissue label for Finders Keepers -- plus formed the folktronica group, Misty Dixon. Even though Misty Dixon quickly sunsetted in 2004, it launched her into her current, eponymous solo project that has carried on her signature style.

A supernova talent like Jane Weaver only continues to get brighter after recent bursts like The Watchbird Alluminate and The Silver Globe. Her 2017 Modern Kosmology is a (inter)stellar grouping of expansive constellations, starry-eyed droning of synth, and planet-like gravitational forces that soothingly pull you into her meteor shower-wonder of a world. The track is five minutes strong. A jazzy 3/4 time is kept on the ride cymbal and snare opens and struts throughout the majority of "Modern Kosmology" while there is clearly some trenchant knob turning for strobing effect, and all rhythm and instrumental harmonies rotate on the axis of the medley's hypnotic hook. "Modern Kosmology" is an otherworldly trip you'll want to take. The album's ten heavenly bodies all orbit around the spacey title track, which features the slightly harrowing, yet beautiful voice of Weaver, her dreamy psychedelia, and simpatico, mood-pop universality.

Jane Weaver is currently on a European tour throughout November with one show in Brooklyn early next month. To keep close tabs on her music news, videos, lyrics, and more check out her website and Facebook page. Watch the video to her single "Slow Motion" -- also from Modern Kosmology -- below.