Album: Madlib

Beat Konducta Vol 3 to 4: In India (Stone's Throw)

The massively prolific and experimental producer Madlib has more than once been described as the Miles Davis of hip hop. If that's true – and it's hyperbolic but let's see how far we can stretch the analogy – then this is his 'Bitches Brew': alien, weird and infuriating, but ambitious, obviously brilliant and naggingly funky too. Consisting of 34 short-span instrumental tracks which sample and creatively loop scratchy classical Hindi and Bollywood 78s, 'In India' is a masala of tabla beats, hand claps and wonky chants. Add a bassline or 20 and you've got Timbaland's whole career compressed into 60 minutes.