Steven Jones + Fluid Japan: Transmission – US – DL [2026]

• Transmission 5:09

Wouldn’t you know it, but I was flying to Cleveland hours after Steven Jones + Fluid Japan dropped their latest stylish opus. I bought it immediately in the Bandcamp app on my personal device, but as I didn’t pack phones, it remained until we returned home from the trip on Wednesday night when I could download the track to my Record Cell and give it a proper listen in the car this morning on the commute. And that’s my loss!

The vibe here had a late 70s throwback with the laidback Fender Rhodes electric piano of Jones coiling throughout the song. The sound seemed to gene-splice the feel of “The Bride Stripped Bare” sent through a wormhole into 1993-1994 with atmospherics that built up the edifice around Steven Jones’ performance taking their cues from the Robin-Trower-In-Deep-Space chilled atmospheres of later Ferry opii such as “Taxi” and “Mamouna.”

The sound perfectly complemented the emotionally numb lyrics from Mr. Jones as he delivered them with a detached elegance that belied the stakes in this song. And the secret weapon on this single was definitely the even more chilled backing vocals by Heather Heimbuch of Fluid Japan that acted as a desolate echo of Mr. Jones.

“Whispers fading on the other side
On the other side
System failing, the lights go dim
No explaining
No game to win
No game to win

This is my last transmission
This is my last transmission
If you’re out there
If you’re still listening
This is my last transmission”

Transmission

Meanwhile the rhythm programming and synth atmospherics of Todd Lewis added further eddies of disquiet to the synth syncopations dancing with the drum programming. A palpable sense of unease that was doubled down on by his coup-de-grace eBow guitar. The rhythms came to a terse halt in the song’s climax, leaving only the atmospheric drones, now brittle and cold while shorn of their surroundings, to bring the void at the center of the song right up to our faces as the song’s death-rattle.

The second Steven Jones + Fluid Japan single staked out a drastically different style to the first one, and it makes me impatient to hear what other strange delights that they have cooking on the back burner yet to come. Though Mr. Jones is the vocalist, his keyboard stylings also added a daring sense of Funk to this slinky delight. And I hope that Ms. Heimbuch has more to offer on the further material to come as her spectral counterpoint here was perfection.

The track is “you-price-it-you-bought-it” at Bandcamp, but smart shoppers might want to avail themselves to the “all you can eat” musical smorgasbord of all 24 Fluid Japan singles for the insane price of $4.61! And how exactly did they arrive at that number???! Sensible listeners should be aware that all of that music is worth a lot more than the risible asking price! Myself, I’ve invested a few dozen fistfuls more and consider my deal a bargain. DJ hit that button!

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