Def Tech

Jesse, the vocalist from Rize, named the band, the members of which did their own songwriting, arranging, and production. Def Tech had the 3rd best-selling album in Japan in 2005 and performed at Live8 in Tokyo in July of that year. Def Tech started in 2003 and debuted in 2005. They rocketed in popularity, especially due to their song “My Way,” and their first, self-titled album charted at #1 and went on to sell 2.2 million copies. That same year (2005), they became the first indie label artist to perform at NHK’s Kohaku Uta Gassen.

As posted on their webpage in September 2007: Def Tech dispersed, citing different opinions on music direction as the cause for the split. Again, according to their web site, the band reunited in June 2010.[1]

• Shen (b. Shenan Brown.[2] on May 9, 1981 in the People's Republic of China) - grew up in Hawaii. He visited Japan many times growing up because of his father's job (J.D. Brown is a well-known applied linguist). Shen is bilingual in both English and Japanese.
• Micro (b. Yuki Nishimiya (西宮佑騎, Nishimiya Yūki) August 28, 1980) - originally from Ōta, Tokyo. A Hosei University graduate, née created a label, Primary Color Recordz, under Universal Music in February 2007.

Album

• [2005.01.22] Def Tech (2,000,000) [2 million]
• [2005.06.29] Lokahi Lani (500,000) [double platinum]
• [2006.04.26] Catch The Wave (1,000,000) [million]
• [2010.10.27] Mind Shift (100,000) [gold]
• [2012.04.18] Greatest Hits (100,000) [gold]

Album

• [2005.01.22] Def Tech (No.1)
• [2005.06.29] Lokahi Lani (No.2)
• [2006.04.26] Catch The Wave (No.1)
• [2007.08.08] Laid Back ((Micro of Def Tech)) (No.4)
• [2010.10.27] Mind Shift (No.4)
• [2011.10.05] UP (No.4)
• [2012.04.18] Greatest Hits (No.2)

2005

• J-WAVE Tokio Hot 100 Awards - Best Song - "My Way"
• J-WAVE Tokio Hot 100 Awards - Best New Artist

2006

• MTV Video Music Awards Japan - Best Group Video - "Konomama" (re-introducing RIZE)

Single

• [2005.09.03] Canción de la expansión - Only on iTunes (Limited)
• [2012.07.15] Bolero - Only on iTunes
• [2013.05.15] Be The One - Only on iTunes

Album

• [2005.01.22] Def Tech
• [2005.06.29] Lokahi Lani
• [2006.04.26] Catch the Wave
• [2010.10.27] Mind Shift
• [2011.10.05] UP
• [2013.07.10] 24/7
• [2015.06.03] Howzit!?
• [2016.07.06] Eight
• [2020.11.18] Powers of Ten

Best Album

• [2005.06.29] 1 x 2 (Def Tech & Lokahi Lani in a full Album) - Only on iTunes
• [2012.04.18] GREATEST HITS (1st Best)
• [2012.08.29] Official Bootleg Mix - Only on iTunes
• [2014.11.19] Def Tech Best Mix (2nd Best) [Mix CD]
• [2015.06.03] Micro's Collection (Select Best Album) - Only on iTunes
• [2015.06.03] Shen's Collection (Select Best Album) - Only on iTunes

Box Set

• [2020.11.11] Def Tech Special Box Set (9CD + 2DVD)

DVD

• [2006.12.27] Def Tech - BUDOKAN Live [Live DVD]
• [2006.12.27] Def Tech - OKINAWA Live [Live DVD]
• [2007.06.13] Footage (Music Video Collection) - Only on iTunes
• [2012.04.18] GREATEST HITS - [Music Video collection included with Greatest Hits release]
• [2013.07.10] Def Tech: Concert Film 2006 - Only on iTunes
• [2014.11.19] Def Tech Best Mix - [Music Video collection included with Best Album Mix release]

Def Tech selects Omnibus Album

• [2006.06.28] Def Tech presents Jawaiian Style Records ～Haleiwa～
• [2006.06.28] Def Tech presents Jawaiian Style Records ～Laniakea～
• [2006.06.28] Def Tech presents Jawaiian Style Records ～Waimea～
• [2006.06.28] Def Tech presents Jawaiian Style Records ～Ehukai～

Remixes [Produced & performed by Def Tech]

• [2006.06.28] Broken Hearts [Jawaiian Mix]
• [2006.06.28] Emergency [Jawaiian Mix]
• [2006.06.28] In Outside [Jawaiian Mix]
• [2013.07.10] He'eia [Jawaiian Mix]
• [2014.11.19] My Way [Original Acoustic Mix Version]
• [2015.06.03] Gone Surfin' [Jawaiian Mix]
• [2016.07.06] Journey [Tropical Juice Mix]
• [2019.07.03] High On Life [Cloud 9 Remix]
• [2019.07.17] Catch The Wave [Dub Remix]

Collaborations [With Def Tech]

• [2003.01.22] VIBRATION (RIZE introducing Def Tech)
• [2005.01.22] Quality of Life (feat. YUKI from Bennie K)
• [2005.06.29] Lokahi Lani (feat. JAMOSA)
• [2005.06.29] KONOMAMA (Def Tech re-introducing RIZE)
• [2005.07.06] KONOMAMA-Tensaibaka [Original Version] (RIZE backing Def Tech)
• [2006.04.26] Lift Up (feat. Lafa Taylor)
• [2006.04.26] Off the Edge (feat. WISE)
• [2006.04.26] Inori (feat. SAKURA)
• [2010.10.27] F.M.B!! (feat. MAYA)
• [2011.10.05] My Baby Love (feat. Ernie Cruz Jr.)
• [2011.10.05] Muteki (feat. Ernie Cruz Jr.)
• [2013.07.10] Anniversary (feat. SONPUB)
• [2013.07.10] The Key (feat. Emi Meyer)
• [2013.07.10] Just a Little Longer (feat. Xavier Boyer Of Tahiti 80)
• [2013.07.10] He'eia [Jawaiian Mix] (feat. Makana)
• [2015.06.03] One Day (feat. Jake Shimabukuro)

List of songs featuring Def Tech

• [2003.01.22] Vibration (RIZE introducing Def Tech)
• [2004.05.08] Better Days (Bennie K feat. Def Tech)
• [2006.06.02] Jump Around (Dan feat. Shen [from Def Tech])
• [2007.06.27] Mahaloha (Yuna Ito feat. Micro [from Def Tech])

2003

• "Vibration" (RIZE introducing Def Tech)

2004

• "My Way"
• "High on Life"

2005

• "Lokahi Lani" (feat. JAMOSA)
• "KONOMAMA" (Def Tech re-introducing RIZE)
• "In Outside" (feat. Lafa Taylor)

2006

• "Catch The Wave"
• "Inori" (feat. Sakura)
• "Lift Up" (feat. Lafa Taylor)
• "Blacklist" (SHEN [from 'Def Tech] & Jesse [from 'RIZE'] with 'E.D.O.'])
• "Jump Around" (Dan feat. SHEN [from 'Def Tech'])

2007

• "HANA Uta" (MICRO [from 'Def Tech'])
• "Cuz" (feat. Lafa Taylor) (MICRO [from 'Def Tech'])
• "You Don't Know" (SHEN [from 'Def Tech' with 'E.D.O.'])
• "Revolvers" (SHEN [from 'Def Tech] & Jesse [from 'RIZE'] with 'E.D.O.'])
• "Mahaloha" (Yuna Ito feat. MICRO [from 'Def Tech'])

2008

• "Always Summer" (SHEN [from 'Def Tech'])
• "PEACE" (SHEN [from 'Def Tech'])
• "カミヒコウキ meets Char" (SHEN [from 'Def Tech] & Jesse [from 'RIZE'] with 'E.D.O.'])
• "4 Seasons" (MICRO [from 'Def Tech'])
• "Odore" (MICRO [from 'Def Tech'])
• "Yukiyanagi ~We're watching you~" (MICRO [from 'Def Tech'])

2009

• "Piece of Africa" (MICRO [from 'Def Tech'])
• "Aoi Ito" (MICRO [from 'Def Tech'])
• "Iz This Love?" (MICRO [from 'Def Tech'])

2010

• "A-1"
• "The Come Back"
• "Rays of Light"

2011

• "Golden Age"
• "take it HIGHER!!"
• "All That's In The Universe"

2012

• "Vocaline"
• "4 Eye, for You"

2013

• "Marathon"
• "The Best Time"
• "Be The One"
• "The Key" (feat. Emi Meyer)

2015

• "One Day" (feat. Jake Shimabukuro)
• "B-3"

2016

• "Journey"

2017

• "One Day" [Backyard Sessions] (feat. Jake Shimabukuro)

2018

• "Defunkdafied"

2019

• "High on Life (Cloud 9 Remix)"

2020

• "Like I Do"
• "Surf Me To The Ocean"

• Official Def Tech Website
• Primary Color Recordz (Japanese)
• Twitter
• Def Tech on Instagram
• Shen on Instagram