beats

As a vocal muse for Madlib’s creations, Dudley is unmatched; he’s earned first pick at Madlib’s prized beat collections. Just like Madvillain or Quasimoto, the Dudley/Madlib combination is a facet unto its own – on par with the most illustrious collaboration projects in Madlib’s catalog. His dynamic sophomore effort, entitled Expressions (2012 A.U.), takes an extended detour in the direction of Parliament’s Mothership Connection. The funk is strong this time around – as is the soul music that brought tears to the eyes of Dudley’s and Madlib’s aunts and uncles back in the golden days.

Known to his friends as Ryan Hunn, Illum Sphere's debut EP landed on Manchester's Fat City Recordings in March 2009. Still only 24, Illum Sphere is one of the duo behind Sketch City & Hoya:Hoya. Using a knowledge of music that is beyond his years, Illum Sphere creates a sound that draws influence from hip-hop as much as it does from psych, jazz and Detroit techno. Already being deemed 'one of the most exciting young producers in the UK right now' without releasing a record...

Rui da Silva is a Portuguese producer and DJ, whose single "Touch Me" (featuring the vocals of Cassandra Fox) topped the UK Chart in 2001. At the time, he was the only Portuguese musician to have a UK hit and hence was the first to score a UK number one. Rui started producing house music in 1992, just as club culture was getting established in Lisbon. Noticing the lack of dance music labels in Portugal, Rui teamed up with DJ Vibe to form Kaos Records, the first label in Portugal specialized in house and electronic music.

Read more about Rui Da Silva on Last.fm.

1. Bill Laswell in slow meditative ambient Dub mode. Personnel include Gabe Gatz from Blind Idiot God and DJ Spooky, as well as Bill Laswell alumni Nicky Skopelites, Lilli Haydn, Tetsu Inoue and Robert Musso. 2. Electro-punk outfit from the Pacific Northwest comprised of Okibi and Steeve B. They combine a number of industrial, noise, pop, and post-punk elements into a danceable and eclectic mix of politics, story-telling, and the occult.

Read more about Automaton on Last.fm.