Since launching his career in the early ’80s with one-man-band electronic performances, Howard Jones has become a revered new wave icon and synth pioneer. Known for hits such as “New Song,” “What Is Love?” and “Things Can Only Get Better,” Jones has been consistently releasing music and performing for over four decades. While he has continued to work extensively with electronic instruments, he has never limited himself to them. On May 23, 2025, he will release PIANO COMPOSED, his third album of piano-based compositions.
The album comes with a twist. PIANO COMPOSED IVORY represents the original versions of the compositions, but Jones later reimagined and resequenced the material using a Steinway Spirio player piano. This allowed him to expand the range across multiple octaves and create pieces that would be impossible to play with fewer than five or six hands. That version is being released as PIANO COMPOSED SPIRIO.
Jones shares his thoughts on the new project:
“The piano is the first instrument I started playing when I was seven, and it feels like I’ve spent my whole life playing it. During COVID, I thought it was about time I made an album of piano pieces, but this time, I wanted the compositions to be more deliberate rather than purely improvised, as I had done before. I began composing with my Ivory piano software, which allowed me to experiment with arrangements and make extensive edits to the pieces. I was pleased with the results, so I had the work mastered and pressed some vinyl, thinking that would be it.
Then, at Steinway’s showroom in London, they kindly let me spend a day with a Spirio piano. I brought my laptop, ran the Ivory compositions through the piano, and was blown away by the possibilities of this modern-day player piano. As a result, there are two versions of these compositions: PIANO COMPOSED IVORY, available on vinyl, and PIANO COMPOSED SPIRIO, available on CD.”
The new album is available for pre-order at Cherry Red Records. We’ve interviewed Howard Jones several times in the past—check out our most recent interview and browse our archives for more.
