{"title":"Steve Jansen","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSteve Jansen, born on 01.12.1959, is an esteemed artist in the music industry. He is widely recognized as the brother of David Sylvian (David Alan Batt). With a career spanning several decades, Jansen has established himself as a prominent figure in the field.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eJansen's unique style and talent have garnered him comparisons to other notable artists such as *David Sylvian*, *Rain Tree Crow*, *Nine Horses*, *Mick Karn*, and *Richard Barbieri*. His collaborations with musicians like *Hector Zazou*, *Jon Hassell*, and *Jansen\/Barbieri* have further solidified his reputation as a versatile performer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThroughout his career, Jansen has been associated with various musical projects including *The Dolphin Brothers* and No-Man. He has also worked alongside renowned artists such as *Mark Hollis*, *Robin Guthrie*, and *Robert Fripp*. Notably, Jansen was a member of the influential band Japan along with his brother David Sylvian.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"slope-2","title":"Slope","description":"\u003cp\u003eSteve Jansen, the co-founder of new wave legends Japan and bona fide collaboration multi-hyphenate, is reissuing his first two solo studio albums: \u003ci\u003eSlope\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eTender Extinction\u003c\/i\u003e. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut how to accurately parse Steve Jansen’s path through music? It’s a journey that’s taken him from 80s royalty as what The Guardian calls “a key component” of one of the UK’s premier new wave acts, releasing classic records like Tin Drum and Quiet Life, to a renowned collaborator, working with artists as diverse as Ryuchi Sakamoto, Anja Garbarek, Annie Lennox, and, most recently, Maiya Hershey. His is a career of ever-changing styles and genres, from blissed-out electronica made with YMO’s Yukihiro Takahashi, to his work with jazz-rock group Nine Horses, to the heavy atmospheres of his transcendent Exit North project, and far, far, beyond.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBased on his consistently excellent creative output, it’s not surprising that he’s also had time to fit in a clutch of excellent solo albums. Although on first listens the music on \u003ci\u003eSlope\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eTender Extinction\u003c\/i\u003e can seem austere and chilly, it certainly bears further listening. Songs that might seem impenetrable can shyly give up their secrets - a moment of tenderness, say, or soaring strings, or a wistful chord change. Slope, his debut, was described by The Observer upon its release in 2007 as “unclassifiable”, a description that goes some way to detailing the album’s crystalline synthetic peaks, dusty analogue depths, and wide experimental sweep. To hear the icy IDM of ‘Grip’ rubbing up against the drone-led modern classical in ‘Sow The Salt’, and the strange sound experiments in ‘Gap of Cloud’ juxtaposed with the fractured emotion of ‘Playground Martyrs’ is to hear an artist capable of ploughing his own unique furrow through music.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlthough nine years and another glut of projects (an ambient album called A Secret Life made with John Foxx and Steve D'Agostino, an array of instrumental pieces, Jansen and Japan bandmate Richard Barbieri’s fifth album, Lumen, and the list really does go on and on) came between Slope and second album, Tender Extinction, the same restive spirit remained that first prompted Jansen to go it alone. Tender Extinction is a more meditative affair than its predecessor, one where comet tails of synthesiser stretch across a song and fathomless sonic depths simmer and roll like an ocean. James Ginzburg’s brand new remaster will render the hiemal beauty and sumptuous arrangements of tracks such as ‘And Birds Sing All Night’, ‘Captured’, and ‘Her Distance’ even more perfectly than before.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut why these albums and why now? Both are special pieces of work, and place the talents of an artist that often stays in the shadows front and centre. Jansen is someone whose every action is in service of The Project, shapeshifting and adapting in relation to how he can improve the music. He’s said in that past that “I remove myself from any references to other people or popular culture. I explore sound and composition without any preconceptions about the finished piece or its place in the world.” Though this is a humble approach that clearly pays dividends (as evinced by his mixing, session, and collaborative work) \u003ci\u003eSlope\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eTender Extinction\u003c\/i\u003e allow for the full range of his influences, experimentation, and ideas to come to the fore. These reissues are timely and necessary, bringing particularly gorgeous high points of Steve Jansen’s sparkling oeuvre into new light.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The state51 Conspiracy","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":50453508915531,"sku":"2000050","price":37.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/c2fc3757-ab37-2394-5e49-7bb79c548743_477459e9_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727173021"},{"product_id":"tender-extinction","title":"Tender Extinction","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn 1978 Japan released their debut album Adolescent Sex and kick started a career that would span decades. With Steve Jansen on drums the band enjoyed huge success whilst simultaneously creating a back catalogue of music that still inspires today. Fast forward to 2007 and after many years working and collaborating with artists such as Richard Barbieri, Yukihiro Takahashi, Ryuichi Sakamoto \u0026amp; Bernd Friedmann, Steve released his debut, solo album Slope. Steve Jansen's second solo album 'Tender Extinction' is an evocative blend of songs and instrumentals enlisting some of the singer\/songwriters that appeared on Jansen's previous solo work 'Slope', namely Tim Elsenburg (Sweet Billy Pilgrim) (UK) and Thomas Feiner (Anywhen) (Norway), as well as featuring new collaborations with Perry Blake (Ireland), Melentini (Greece), Nicola Hitchcock (UK) and including some vocal performances by Jansen himself. Atmospheric sound design creates a bed of complex, often atonal qualities, with delicate synth and orchestral arrangements drifting throughout to produce a multi-layered, emotive and hauntingly intimate album. Some titles are punctuated with Jansen's characteristically minimal drum patterns and off-kilter time signatures while others are structured with more classical elements such as piano, cello and orchestral string arrangements. All music and arrangements are by Jansen with guests vocalists providing their own lyrics and vocal melodies on five of the tracks. Steve: \"I spent a long time with the material, honing it down to those elements that blend together well in an attempt to allow the dissonance that weaves throughout much of the music to settle into its own space and not overly distract from the more harmonious content. The album is somewhat reflective and subtly addresses aspects of transience and transformation and a romance in holding onto those things we think of as precious and that will inevitably cease to exist\" LP comes with DL card.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"No Label","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50494026219851,"sku":"404099","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/431e6686-7dab-4aae-89cd-5a8bb85ca9ad_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727702799"},{"product_id":"the-extinct-suite","title":"The Extinct Suite","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn 1978 Japan released their debut album Adolescent Sex and kick started a career that would span decades. With Steve Jansen on drums the band enjoyed huge success whilst simultaneously creating a back catalogue of music that still inspires today. Fast forward to 2007 and after many years working and collaborating with artists such as Richard Barbieri, Yukihiro Takahashi, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Bernd Friedmann, Steve released his debut, solo album \u003ci\u003eSlope\u003c\/i\u003e. Steve Jansen’s second solo album \u003ci\u003eTender Extinction\u003c\/i\u003e was an evocative blend of songs and instrumentals enlisting some of the singer\/songwriters that appeared on Jansen’s previous solo work \u003ci\u003eSlope\u003c\/i\u003e. \u003ci\u003eThe Extinct Suite\u003c\/i\u003e is a reinterpretation of the more ambient and orchestral elements of this last album \u003ci\u003eTender Extinction\u003c\/i\u003e. Not a remix by any means, some familiar passages are woven together with additional pieces to create a suite of instrumentals lasting over 55 minutes as one single track. Written, performed, produced and mixed by Steve Janse. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SJ Productions","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50495374524747,"sku":"1004885","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/65e36711-22f0-46ab-b687-566a6ac017f7_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727710239"},{"product_id":"my-winter-zg","title":"My Winter","description":"\u003cp\u003eHeadcount Records is proud to present the third vinyl collaboration with renowned composer and multi-instrumentalist Steve Jansen. \u003cem\u003eMy Winter\u003c\/em\u003e is a specially curated 4-track EP exploring ambient, cinematic, and experimental textures – showcasing Jansen's signature melodic sense, rhythmic restraint, and atmospheric depth.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Headcount Records","offers":[{"title":"LP - Black","offer_id":53448854143307,"sku":"R9586-0024","price":21.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/SteveJansen-MyWinterHC083_MYWINTER.jpg?v=1758551855"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/collections\/test_2841c9c3_thumbnail_4096_ed245283-c28e-4f8b-912d-d77f962bff7d.jpg?v=1727173000","url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/collections\/steve-jansen.oembed","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}