Just listening to Tender Extinction for the second time. It's a wonderful collection of ambient-like songs and pure ambient pieces. Fine vocal appearances of Melentini (German femal singer), Thomas Feiner, Perry Blake, Tim Elsenburg, Nicola Hitchcock (Mandalay) and Steve himself.
The standout tracks for me are the two Steve takes vocals on ( one track treated vocals). They sound more aligned with the music versus the guest singer/lyrics ones. Good album but not as good as slope. A little too much ambient for me although I do enjoy the album. Only bad note is the awful Thomas Feiner track. He has added lyrics to Steves track captured through a quiet Windows which was released as a stand alone track. In my humble opinion he has added nothing to the track and the vocal delivery and minimal lyrical content spoil a nice instrumental piece
Got to say I haven't played into the album enough yet to compare it to Slope, but I have to disagree with Pinenut as I really enjoy Captured, although I may be influenced by the fact I love Thomas Feiner's voice, personally I think the lyrics send the piece in a completely different direction and for me it has impact as the opening track on the album
"In 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 & Bernd Friedmann, Steve released his debut, solo album Slope. This experimental, imaginative and vivid project set the bar high for Steve as a solo artist and it wasn’t until 2016 that he followed it up with his new album Tender Extinction.
Tender Extinction is an introspective, sprawling and at times haunting album with each track taking on its own unique aesthetic and individual journey. Initially released on Bandcamp in April, Headcount Records have now released the project on 180g, lacquer cut, double LP. Featuring guest vocalists and musicians throughout, the album is a beautifully crafted piece of art and something that can truly demand a listener’s full attention."