Mach Japan Vinyl & CDs

Review: It's always nice to hear new music from Towa Tei, who will forever be revered for his work with 90s dance fusionists Deee-Lite. His 13th studio album shows he's lost none of his adventurous spirit, with quirky melodies, chopped samples, and imaginative collaborations galore. AH!! is testament to Tei's knack for assembling unexpected parts into something stylish and, well, just a little wackadoodle. With contributions from the likes of Takkyu Ishino, Verbal, Yukihiro Takahashi and Haruomi Hosono, AH!! plays like a mixtape from an alternate pop universe. Over 30 years since he and his bandmates tore the roof off the dance underground, AH!! lands as a marker of Towa Tei's staying power and serves as the final part of a loose trilogy that began with EMO and LP. A milestone release, then, from a shape-shifting producer who's always been more interested in what's next than what's expected.