Modern Studies We Are There LP

"There's a charm within Modern Studies' DNA which makes them, without fanfare or clamor, one of today's most mesmerizing outfits." -Prog Magazine

Through the hazy daze of a smoky folk opus, Modern Studies craft rich soundtracks, stuttering Super-8 sketches from a washed-out world of melancholy, hand-tinted and tantalizing. Lullaby couplets blossom into gorgeous chamber pop melodies, the drama unfolding behind Emily Scott's plaintive vocal; part Julie London, part Sandy Denny, a little bit Kate Bush, with a hushed sigh of Joni.

Sweeping strings carry them into unchartered terrain on their 2022 album, We Are Here, flying high above their psych-folk roots; it's an epic journey that's exquisitely delivered, transcending categories, nodding to Brubeck, Low, Talk Talk, Jim O'Rourke and Pentangle, making music that is ready to cross over in these modern times with songs of substance.

With album number four, Modern Studies migrate toward their tonal center, collating their best attributes into a consistent and very appealing set of songs....The mood of We Are There is rich and loamy with hints of ancient Albion folk tradition and an insistent baroque pop presence thanks to its many fine string parts. The album's lyrical meeting of naturalist poetry and inward exploration only enhances the beguiling arrangements, which lean more toward the organic than some of the group's more recent synth-driven work....As a collection, We Are There feels sophisticated yet elemental in its fine construction. It sounds like the work of a band who know themselves and trust their instincts.