Beck

With a mashed-up family background that takes in the New York avant-garde art scene, Scandinavian roots, and Scientology, the genius latent in Beck Hansen had all the fertilizer required to nourish one of the most experimental and playful recording artists of recent years. Shake hands with the curator-supreme of pop-junk by cueing up "Loser."

Beck's cut 'n' paste blend of American roots music with just about any other style (hip-hop, electronica et al.) has ensured that his work remains constantly fresh, surprising and often surreal. It's also laced with sly humour and a deep affection for pop culture: Get swallowed up by the ferment of sources fueling "Mixed Bizness."

Beck has made a career from ringing his changes, and shifts direction with the whirlwind energy of a dervish without ever taking his eyes off the road. Allow him to guide you along the meandering path that connects the mellow lowlands of "Side of the Road" to the dizzying heights of the "Gameboy/Homeboy (Qué Onda Guero)" remix.

Beck's catalogue reads like a chopped-up primer in the last century of popular music, from the unforgettable slacker anthem that made him famous to Tropicalia to funk-fortified rhythm & blues. Those who considered him something of a novelty — one who would eventually singe his fingers on a fast-burning post-modern fuse — have watched in awe as his genre-bending flourishes have managed to surprise and enlighten at every turn. The eclectic voltage of Beck just keeps on feeding our grid, from [i]Mellow Gold[/i] to [i]The Information[/i].