About

In 1990, TOWA TEI made his U.S. debut as a member of DEEE-LITE with the album World Clique. To date, he has released 13 solo albums, three albums under the name SWEET ROBOTS AGAINST THE MACHINE, as well as works with METAFIVE.

Since September 2013, he has served as the in-store music supervisor for INTERSECT BY LEXUS - TOKYO in Aoyama, Tokyo. He composed the music for the NHK documentary program Kusama Yayoi: My Eternal Soul. In 2018, he was responsible for the planning supervision and design of Neue Tanz, the 40th anniversary album of YMO.

In 2019, he handled the key visual for Haruomi Hosono 50th anniversary documentary film NO SMOKING, and in 2021 for SAYONARA AMERICA. He also served as art director, together with Tomoo Gokita, for Yukihiro Takahashi best album GRAND ESPOIR.

In 2021, he composed the score for the Netflix-produced anime SUPER CROOKS, and the soundtrack album SUPER CROOKS SOUND TRACK FROM THE NETFLIX SERIES was released. The same year, following the overseas release of his 10th album LP, he released EP. — (via Label)

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There’s always been an odd streak running through Towa Tei’s career. Since the ‘90s, the electronic producer has been fascinated in seeing how he can bend and stretch ideas, whether it was in seeing how sample-based house sounds could groove or how to create smooth dance-pop about Guillermo Arriaga films. Not long ago, he made a whole Sweet Robots Against The Machine album featuring spoken word passages from comedian Bakarhythm.

Now saying he’s in “semi-retirement,” Tei’s latest album AH!! reminds of his love for the unlikely. The club-ready motion remains as does the star-studded guest list, but there’s something extra disjointed and playful about this offering, revealing a creator still eager to flip over the norm one dusty sample at a time.

Opener “THE FINEST” builds itself around what sounds like a voice from a commercial talking about “the finest turntable in the world,” and around this Tei constructs a rumbling beat interrupted by female vocals, British hype men and an appearance from VERBAL where he’s mostly sonic texture rather than guest MC. Like most of AH!! the fun of a song like “THE FINEST” is hearing something familiar be nudged towards the odd — like hearing a familiar track in the club, but something is off about it — and Tei revels in these moments throughout, whether on the fizzy CAPS LOCK-like shuffle of “LUDLOW” or the Midnight-Vultures-gone-Harajuku pop mutation of “GUM.”

As he tends to do, there’s also an examination of Japanese electronic music weaved in, here including a Vocaloid-grazed (itself a fascinating touch) techno-pop workout featuring the ever wonky Takkyu Ishino and “The Prophet,” an unsettling groove featuring playing from Haruomi Hosono and the late Yukihiro Takahashi. Tei even explores his own catalog on “B4GP4B,” itself a skittering re-imagining of 2013’s “Blue For Girls, Pink For Boys.” It’s familiar…but just different than you remember, from a creator who still can offer up sonic curveballs. — (via Make Believe Mailer)

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Vinyl Tracklist
A1 THE FINEST feat. VERBAL
A2 TYPICAL! feat. TAKKYU ISHINO
A3 LUDLOW
A4 INSECTA
A5 HAPPYHOUR feat. RUKA
B1 THE PROPHET feat. YUKIHIRO TAKAHASHI, HARUOMI HOSONO
B2 GUM feat. TAPRIKK SWEEZEE, BAKUBAKUDOKIN
B3 B4GP4B
B4 WELCOME RAIN feat. CHAPPO, MIYA,
B5 TIME IN TOKIO
B6 HAPPYEND

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Label: Mach
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition
Reissued: 2026 / Originally Released: 1973
Genre: Funk / Soul
Style: 

File under: Japanese Pop
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