Modern Kosmology
Jane Weaver
2017
Album Summary
Jane Louise Weaver (born 28 February 1972) is an English singer, songwriter, and guitarist. She runs the label Bird Records, an offshoot of Twisted Nerve Records. Weaver has performed as part of the Britpop group Kill Laura, the folktronica project Misty Dixon, and as a solo artist. She was brought up in the town of Widnes, Cheshire.
WikipediaArguably the hardest album I have had to rank so far and the first one to really make me question why exactly it was included on this list. I was intrigued at first due to it being the newest album I have listened to so far as well as it being from an artist I have never heard of. I can genuinely say that I liked this album (didn't necessarily love it), but after giving it some more thought, I was left baffled as to its placement in the 1001 Albums You Should Hear Before You Die. This sounds harsh, but I didn't feel it did anything unique or overly interesting for an album that came out in 2017. Everything that I enjoyed has already done before, and I didn't find Jane to have a particularly standout voice. I ended up looking into this one a bit more after seeing that she has less than 100,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, and this album does not even have a Wikipedia page (!). This isn't a mark of its quality at all as it is a fine album, but all of this really made me question why such a niche artist was selected as "required before you die" listening. I can only think of personal preference being a reason for its placement (maybe the author really likes this artist?). While I did like this one more than other albums I feel have a legitimate reason for being on this list, I do not feel the need to come back to it and do not understand why it was included over so many other amazing albums. 2.5/5.
Love her moody and melodic songs. The Lightning Back is my favourite track 10/10 would listen cover to cover again
I like it. It's meditative and trance-y and somewhere between indie rock and 70s psychedelia and bedroom pop. If I listen to it again, it might be a five. The cool thing is, I could see myself listening to it closely or just having it on in the background and liking it both ways.
Strong 4 to Light 5. I enjoyed: some of the more synth-heavy parts and the blending of folk and electronic, and when it gets more scattered. Finished on a strong note with the last 2 songs. I disliked: VOCALS GOD THEY ARE SO MEDIOCRE! Pretty weak songwriting at times so much meandering. Felt like a slog at a lot of points. It all felt so artistically safe, and unoriginal. Felt dan deaconish and was too Stereolab Something that wine moms call experimental. This is just wine mom music for the most part. I hope the next album is better.
Very much my jam! Super soft dreamy vocals, driving krautrocky motorik rhythms, luscious indie pop melodies... Fave track - "H>A>K", but "Did You See Butterfiles", "Slow Motion", "The Architect", and "I Wish" could all take the top spot too on a different listen!
Muy buen disco. No conocía está artista, me gusta mucho. Las guitarras me hacen acordar a Sonic youth y su voz genera un trance
I have a soft spot for Ethereal femme voices like this one, and the production felt post-apocalyptic in a great way.
I've never heard of her before but this is a really incredible piece of psychedelic pop! Very interesting inclusion here but I'm happy to have discovered it.
the transitionssssssssss. everything is so interesting. Did you see butterflies is phenomenal. Love the jazz that happens in the title track.
Amé este disco y no la conocía a ella para nada, ya escuché más y creo que me haré fan. En fin, como que condensa muchas de las cosas que me gustan en la música. "The Architect", rolón. 10/10
I think this is the first album so far not to have it's own Wikipedia page, so was going in blind. Never heard of Jane Weaver but have to say after listening to this, I'm intregued to hear the rest of her discography. I listened to this twice in one day and it still sounded fresh. I cannot think of one thing wrong about this album. The music is dreamy yet not sleepy, the jamming sections are full of mystic rhythms that keeps you on your toes, and Weaver's vocals are so pleasant to hear. Favourite songs are H>V>K, Modern Kosmology, The Architect, and I Wish. No bad songs on here and it flows perfectly.
she looks like a british kylie. idk. we'll see. i really liked this! like how i wish that Joan Baez album had sounded.
This album is REALLY good. I hadn't heard of Jane Weaver before and I'm surprised she isn't more known. This album is such a groove. 100% relistening. Favorite Tracks: Did You See Butterflies? and The Architect
yeah this album was WHACK. it was so dope. it reminded me of synth pop acts like US girls or the knife. i listened to this album like 7 times. i just loved it.
Definitely something I will listen to again. She’s got a beautiful voice, you can have this in the background but also really focus on it. It can put you in a trance but not to sleep or make you drowsy. A nice surprise
Wow, this album picked me up by the ears and knocked me around on a fun, wild, whimsical adventure. Hadn't heard much of Jane Weaver, but what a find!
Excellent album listen. Notes of Kraftwerk. Wonderful flow. Such a pleasant find.
This sounds timeless and almost mystical. It puts you in a trance. I like it, it's a hidden gem.
Excellent album. Would definitely re listen and look into more of her work.
Digging the vocals and the synths. Very good music to get lost in. Very Stereolab-y. Pretty harmonies and backing vocals.
Some great classic thrash on here. Could feel a bit samey at times, but went hard throughout.
Surprised I have never heard of her. Really amazing psychedelic rock/pop/alternative. Gives me tame impala vibes. Very well put together album with no fat. Every song fits the theme. Hypnotic vocals that sound like she is in a glass bottle, trance instrumentals, haunting features.
Of albums I’ve had zero exposure to before this list, this is one of the most original and interesting.
I consider myself lucky for receiving this recommendation today. I didn’t have any idea of who Jane Weaver was… but her work enlightened my mood from second one. Modern Kosmology is a truly gem. I loved Jane voice harmonies and delivery. The rhythm section was exquisite, and what to say about the sequencing? To me, Jane is the perfect blending between Blonde Redhead and Janelle Monae. Fantastic!
Lite Lush-känsla över ganska många låtar, inte minst Did You See Butterflies. Slow Motion är 5/5. Coolt folk-sound blandat med drömpop.
Very interesting, strongly reminiscent of Stereolab, and in some parts aspects of the Velvet Underground. A couple of bland tracks but mostly pretty great.
I. Loved. This. Shades of Laurie Anderson's Superman. Electronic sounds with a more spoken-word lyrical vibe. I could listen to it for days. Don't know that I'd go to a concert or blast it in my car, but it was excellent music to just vibe to.
4.4 - Surprised I hadn’t heard this before. It’s in my Broadcast, Stereolab wheelhouse. Beautiful vocals, interesting bleeps and bloops, and use of noise. An album to enjoy from beginning to end.
Cool little album this. Maybe a bit pretentious at times but some good songs too
Very melodic almost hypnotic voice. Electronic backing, but very calm listening. I like it!
Not my usual style but I enjoyed the album. The first song is a bit weird but I liked the other ones a lot. They sound fresh and unusual but in a nice way.
First really new albums we've had ayyy. I really enjoyed it, as with most of the new stuff it's completely weird and unique but for once it really worked imo
A really pleasant surprise. I had no expectations going in and this album was good. Experimenting with a few different sounds on the record but the album as a whole is great.
Pretty cool! Good vibes. I enjoyed listening to this. My fave track for now is The Valley.
I've never heard of Jane Weaver and frankly, sounds like she'd be a dental hygienist. Though a little slow in places, this album brings us into the 20th century. It's nice to listen to something more contemporary than discovering old classics that I missed. The album starts off strong. Jane sounds like Stereolab or School of Seven Bells with a hint of Daft Punk, Postal Service and even some Cocteau Twins thrown in. But tapers off toward the end with songs like Valley, which is a slow and whiny or Ravenspoint which includes traditional instrumentation and dabbles in Psychedelia. The first listen was good, but the second grew on me. Despite the tail end of the album, there's enough of a foundation to expect good things from this hygienist in the future. I even found myself meandering off the reservation and exploring her new release 'Flock' which I immediately enjoyed.
What a pleasant surprise! H>A>K and The Architect are awesome. The whole thing is pretty good. Not my style but I still enjoyed it a lot.
Bought this on a whim when it was released. I liked it so much, I bought the next release.
Texture and quality, heavy and interesting, not sure how much of a fixture it could be
Nice album. Weaver is a pleasant enough singer, and the instrumentation is really easy to listen to. This is somewhere between 3 and 4 stars for me... Since today is a holiday, 4 stars it must be!
English, 10s, Alternative/Electronic Rock + Charming, Fairy, Atmosphere, Complexed = Female, Electro, Alike - Maybe boring {3/10} [4/5]
It's got motorik beats and synths all over it. Of course I like it. Even got Malcolm Mooney on "Ravenspoint"! Love the balance of instruments and electronics. I'm a sucker for female voices paired with electronic music.
I enjoyed this, seems interesting and unique. Surprised it is so new. How objectively can we look at something 4 years old in the context of the last half century of music?
Is this a synthwave album? this might be a synthwave album. Hell yea. Though its not like some cheeseball synth emulation, there is actually a really well crafted sonic vision on this one. The Architect slaps. Ravenspoint is weird.
I'd never heard of Jane Weaver before this album, but I'll certainly remember her name now. It was pretty good! I'm certainly glad I listened to it. I think it might drag on a little bit towards the end, but overall, very solid album.
I thought this was terrific. Bit of Charlotte Gainsbourgh, but of Velvet Underground bit of psychedelia.
I was very skeptical of this. I think very few albums from the last 5 years will have enough context to meet the criteria of the list. I have to say I loved this album. Great psych folky stuff going on here
Glorious dreamy synth-pop. Hints of Goldfrapp and a lil bit of Hot Chip in there too - can't believe I hadn't discovered Jane Weaver before. I'm excited to listen to her other stuff. I'll defo be playing this album again too.
Pleasantly surprised by this one. Obviously a very much underground pick, and maybe not worthy of its status of one of the 1000 best albums of all time, but still very enjoyable with a good varied sound.
Had never heard of this artist before, but quite liked it. Dreamy synth pop that reminded me of Stereolab.
Not the status of a 1001 album generator album but, just another one of a massive amount of good albums that are released every year. I did not know this album, but some songs such as Slow Motion (the synths) and Loops in the Secret Society (the guitar) sounded very familiar to me. Clearly, Loops in the Secret Society is Velvet Underground. These songs and also the final two started to grow a bit on me. Vocals are OK too. I would buy this record and give it a 4 but I would never put it in a 1001 list!
Komplett vermessener Gedanke: wie schön es für mich gewesen wäre, hätte Jane Weaver die bis heute klaffende Lücke gefüllt, die Mary Hansens viel zu früher Tod bei Stereolab aufgerissen hat. Aber auch solo ist sie natürlich nichts weniger als fantastisch: Motorik-Kraut, flirrende Analogsynthflächen, Hypnosegesang - mehr braucht es nicht, um mich vor jede Klippe zu steuern, und das hier auch nur äußerst knapp an der 5 vorbei.
I admit, I had never heard of Jane Weaver until now. I've never really been into electronica or ambient dream-pop, so for my first listen I didn't care for it. I took a second (more focused) listen (late in the evening) and it paid off. The use of synths and other sounds has a trance-like quality that envelopes you with music full of depth and atmosphere. I didn't think I'd like it, but I'm pleased this album was suggested. I recommend it!
Very much enjoyed going album beautiful mood, gorgeous voice, warm lush instrumentation very inviting perfect for dark late night listening 4 🌟
This is a nice find. The kind of stuff I used to listen to all the time. I’d probably make the effort to go see her live if playing locally.
Having never heard of this album or artist I was pleasantly surprised. Huge Broadcast vibes throughout.
Really cool, I think i knew her already but never listened to the album in full. Nice discovery, i'll add it to my rotation list, plus from spotify it spawned a lot of nice related suggestions
Very surprised by this album -- didn't know what to expect. At first I was a little disinterested, but as I listened more I found lots to like. It grooves like Tame Impala with psychedelic influences. The vocals and overall vibe remind me of Charlotte Gainsbourg. It's not an everyday listen for me, but I'll add it to my library. Neat.
Sometimes an aesthetic just grabs you from word go. God knows I know not what this magical combination or way of combining things is, but damn this has it in spades. It lives not in the land of the olfactory, but I can smell it. I can smell it.