Towa Tei and Kylie Minogue—both interesting personalities in their own right, and oh so great when mixed together. Let’s start with the person you might not have heard of, although you’ve most likely heard at least one thing he’s done.

Towa Tei is most commonly associated with his native country of Japan these days, but it wasn’t too long ago that he spent a fair amount of time overseas; alongside some production work, he was part of that lovely early-90s dance group Deee-Lite—he’s the one on the turntables during the video for “Groove Is In The Heart.” He left the group after two albums and began putting together his own albums, floating in roughly the same constellation as people like Fantastic Plastic Machine, Pizzicato Five and Cornelius, but not really sounding that similar to any of them.

Kylie, of course, you know about. The first time she appears on a Towa Tei song was in 1998, somewhere in the hazy fog between her two major peaks of stardom. “G.B.I,” more commonly known as “German Bold Italic,” doesn’t seem so odd when placed against some of Minogue’s other collaborations—namely, her duet with Nick Cave. Still, it has to qualify as an oddity of sorts; there are very few songs where you’ll hear someone cooing about a “typeface that you have never heard before,” and the crazy get-up Minogue wears for the video is something to behold.

“Sometime Samurai” isn’t nearly so quirky, but it is arguably a better song. The deadpan, almost teutonic qualities of “G.B.I” have been replaced with a dreamy, rock-driven soundscape that’s much more likeable. Minogue plays to her strengths, too, lending some suitably seductive and breathless vocals to the mix. Despite the gap of seven years, it’s obvious the two can still make great singles together.

Once an L.A.-based electronic side project, Anubian Lights have released only their second album their fifth album in their ten year existence (the last being 2001’s Naz Bar). With the addition of vocalist Adele Bertei, it’s probably fair to consider Phantascope an entirely new album by an entirely new band. In both incarnations, Anubian Lights have jumped all over the musical map to the point where they try to cram several genres into each track, according to the reviewers. Either this works or it doesn’t; it’s a path with many pitfalls, where either the transitions between styles are harsh and obvious, or else everything blends into a liquid mix of mediocrity.

I’m really bad with genres, so it’s easier to describe bands that sound alike rather than pin them to specific styles. In this particular case, it’s really easy: this incarnation of Anubian Lights is a livelier, catchier Supreme Beings Of Leisure, both sharing a certain space-lounge essence. Anubian Lights use real instruments more often and lean towards the dancefloor more than their spiritual sibling, but it’s just as alluring. And it helps that Bertei is a versatile singer; she can play pretty much any vocal role demanded of her.

(note: this post has changed from the original, thanks to some corrections by the man himself, original and current band member Tommy Grenas.)