Following the release of the Charlatans' 11th studio album Who We Touch, drummer Jon Brookes was diagnosed with brain cancer while on tour in the United States; he was temporarily replaced by the Verve member Pete Salisbury, at the recommendation. Brookes later re-joined the band towards the end of the year. In February 2011, the band held a discussion for their next album, which they were aiming to release at some point in 2012. Later in 2011, vocalist Tim Burgess started his own record label O Genesis; him and guitarist Mark Collins went on an acoustic tour; and Burgess worked on a solo album. In mid-2012, Brookes suffered from a relapse in September that same year.
The band attempted to make an album, at the insistence of Brookes, however the effort was fruitless. In July 2013, keyboardist Tony Rogers said the band were anticipating going into the studio to work on new songs. In spite of Brookes receiving surgery that same month, Burgess announced Brookes' death in August. A benefit show was held for him two months later. Burgess and guitarist Mark Collins held a writing session Hastings, which resulted in several songs. The band congregated at a beach house in Rye where the recorded ideas using a portable studio and drums courtesy of a mobile app.
The band reconvened in early 2014 at their own studio Big Mushroom, and spurred on by the memories of Brookes, the band began recording in January that year. The members intentionally wanted to make an uplifting record; some songs were worked on between Burgess and Collins, bassist Mark Blunt and Rogers, or the whole band. Jim Spencer, who worked with them previously on their 2001–2008 albums, co-produced the proceedings. Drummers from different bands participated in the recording sessions: Salisbury, New Order member Stephen Morris, and Factory Floor member Gabriel Gurnsey. Morris and Gurnsey went into the studio to see how the band was progressing, only then to be asked to play on the recordings. Burgess expected the sessions to last three months, when in reality, they lasted seven.
Musically, the sound of Modern Nature has been described as pop, with elements of disco, funk, and soul. Discussing the title, Burgess said he was visiting the band Grumbling Fur as they were recording song. They were in the middle of song when a book fell of a shelf and hit Burgess on the head. The book turned out to be Derek Jarman's diaries, entitled Modern Nature. Up to this point, they had already planned on calling it Nature as they had several songs with that as the working title. Some of the upbeat songs, such as "So Oh" and "Let the Good Times Be Never Ending", were reminiscent of the pop nature of the band's seventh studio album Wonderland (2001).
Similarly, "So Oh" and "Come Home Baby" channel the band's early Madchester sound. The High Llamas frontman Sean O'Hagan contributed orchestration throughout the album, alongside gospel vocal harmonies from Melanie Marshall and Sandra Marvin. O'Hagan previously worked with Burgess for his solo album; Burgess made a mental note that if the Charlatans required strings, to ask O'Hagan.
The opening track "Talking in Tones" initially begins as a soundscape of glitch and electronica percussion loops, before shifting into 1960s beat music, with its chorus section being reminiscent of I'm a Man" (1967) by the Spencer Davis Group. It was the result of a jam session between Collins, who was playing drums, and Burgess, who was playing guitar. Collins said "So Oh" was influenced by a Barry White song, while its bassline recalled the band's stand-alone single "The Only One I Know" (1990).
"Come Home Baby" utilizes a gospel choir. Rogers had the verse music for it for sometime, until Burgess had a melody part for it, which he dubbed "Baby Huey" after the person of the same name.The soul track "Keep Enough" talks about mourning for an absent friend. It was the first song the band wrote after becoming a four-piece."In the Tall Grass", alongside "Let the Good Times Be Never Ending", saw the band move into disco territory. The keyboard parts in the former were compared to those played by the Doors member Ray Manzarek.
"Let the Good Times Be Never Ending" is a cross between the music of the Doors and the 5th Dimension, with brass parts from Dexys Midnight Runners member Jim Paterson. The song was influenced by Little Anthony and the Imperials, and was initially scrapped on three occasions. The first idea for the song was a six-minute-long bass part that Rogers turned into two iterations, one with a Rhodes piano, and the second with a Hammond organ. Burgess, Collins and Blunt liked both versions that Rogers made. The final version was made after six months' worth of attempts, with a variety of additional instrumentation, such as drum machines and Chic-esque guitar playing. "I Need You to Know", alongside "Lean In", use an organ sound in the style of Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. "Lean In" features jangly guitarwork backing vocal harmonies recalled those hard in "Strawberry Wine" (1987) by My Bloody Valentine. It was the last song written for the album, with Burgess, Collins and Blunt working on the guitar parts of it until the early hours of the morning.
The piano-driven baggy song "Trouble Understanding" features several different dynamics and mood changes throughout it. Halfway through the song, a guitar line is heard, which builds towards a choral section. It was initially titled "Nature #1", and was written by Burgess with Lou Reed in mind. The closing track "Lot to Say" also evoked their Madchester sound, while incorporating elements of Motown. Burgess purposely wanted to end the album with a quiet track; he wrote it after moving to Norfolk when his son was born. "Walk with Me" was written by Brookes while laying in a hospital bed; it incorporates a back choir, which consisted of children from that that Brookes used to teach at Brookes had dictated the song's lyrics three weeks prior to his death. "Honesty" is an acoustic instrumental rendition of "Emilie", with a string section, while "Marauder" is a drum and keyboard-based instrumental.
The album was promoted with appearances on various radio stations, and performances at record stores. "Come Home Baby" was released as a single on 2 February 2015, and featured a Simon Fisher Turner remix of the same song.
