Cyberpunk 2026…
Sometimes, the electronic music community can serve up an intriguing hybrid of talents that commands attention. This EP from Steven Jones and Jan Linton falls into that category, a strange and captivating affair that also perhaps poses more questions than it answers.
Jan Linton has an interesting background, being one of the first few Western musicians to sign to a Japanese label. He also helped to internationalise the Japanese music industry and established a band called Dr. Jan (guru) (who also produced a cover of Ultravox classic ‘Hiroshima Mon Amour’). In the past, Linton has worked with Richard Barbieri, Duran Duran, Ippu Do’s Masami Tsuchiya, the late Kenichi Kurosawa and Bill Nelson among others.
Steven Jones is probably best known for his work with Logan Sky, particularly 2023’s haunting Sacred Figures album (see TEC previously), which also featured a guest appearance by Jan Linton. Jones serves up vocals that often have a breathy, fragmented quality that can be both mesmerising and unsettling depending on the context. Either way, he’s got a distinct talent that certainly has a unique appeal.
This EP release features two distinct tracks combined with a number of choice remixes. ‘CyberPunk’, the EP’s title track, has a machine-like rhythm and a dense field of electronic effects that give it a peculiar, fractured quality. Meanwhile, the sepulchral vocals of Steven Jones moves through this synth collage with odd lyrical asides (“You pull the wire/I don’t resist”).
‘My Latest Obsession’ treads similar ground but has more of a dream-like mood at its heart. The composition is broken up with richer, warmer elements, particularly a synth organ fill that lends it a hymnal quality. Here, Jones sounds like a ghost in the machine, his voice floating through a haunting electronic soundscape.
The EP has several flavours of these songs on offer, including a longer mix of ‘CyberPunk’ that runs over five minutes, a mix that serves up an “alternate Ebow intro” and also instrumental versions of both tracks.
The music here is going to find favour who like their electronic music to have a darker edge to it, while also weaving in smart uses of effects and arrangements. Ultimately, it’s a fascinating collaborative effort and dangles the carrot for more potential music in the future.
CyberPunk is out now.
https://janlinton.bandcamp.com/album/cyberpunk-my-latest-obsession
