British record label BBE Music has announced a new tribute album from David Bowie. Modern love arrives May 28, and features covers from across Bowie’s catalog of Helado Negro, Khruangbin, Jeff Parker, We Are KING, Meshell Ndegeocello and more. Today, on what would have been Bowie’s 74th birthday (and the fifth anniversary of Black star), BBE shared the lead single from Modern love. Listen to We Are KING’s cover of “Space Oddity” below and scroll down for the track listing and LP art illustrated by Cori Maass.
“There were so many great Bowie compositions to choose from, but ‘Space Oddity’ has always been our favorite,” We Are KING’s Amber and Paris Strother said in a press release. “It’s so visual; it has always felt like time travel in song. It tells such a vivid and imaginative story of Major Tom’s journey through space and it was such a cool experience to re-imagine what it would be like on the journey. “
BBE compiled Modern love to highlight Bowie’s connection to the soul, R&B, jazz, funk and gospel sounds that influenced his own work. The project was curated by music executive and DJ Drew McFadden, along with BBE Music founder Peter Adarkwah. “I felt like the connection between Bowie and R&B, jazz, funk, gospel and all things soulful, had never really been explored,” McFadden said in press material. “At least not so much in covers, which tend more towards rock and pop. Sure, there have been plenty of Bowie covers over the years, but none that really tapped into what appears to have been a large part of his core musical style and direction. “
Modern love:
01 Miguel Atwood-Ferguson: “Life on Mars”
02 Black Ice Cream: “Sound & Vision”
03 Kit Sebastian: “Lady Grinning Soul”
04 Jeff Parker / The New Breed: “Soul Love” [ft. Ruby Parker]
05 Sessa: “Detroit Panic”
06 The Hics: “The Man Who Sold the World”
07 Khruangbin: “Right”
08 Nia Andrews: “Silly Boy Blue”
09 Foxtrott: “Chant of the Ever Circling Skeletal Family”
10 L’Rain: “Move On”
11 Eddie Chacon / John Carroll Kirby: “Tonight”
12 Jonsh Mutono: “Modern Love”
13 Bullion: “Where Are We Now”
14 Meshell Ndegeocello: “Fantastic Voyage”
15 Matthew Tavares: “Heroes”
16 We Are KING: “Space Oddity”
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