Madlib’s next installment of the Beat Konducta does not fail. He takes the tiny hairs in your ears that transmit sound to the brain on a journey to India’s pop culture or what they call “filmi” (songs from Indian music film). This style utilizes western orchestration to support Indian melodies. Movie scenes and the emotions they portray influence every title on Beat Konducta. From the jump or as Madlib titled it, “Indian Hump”, it sounds like a recording on dual cassette. The viola and piano samples have a really hard and gritty feel, something that is becoming a lost art to the masses. Speaking of art, on the track so accurately described as “Piano Garden”, I can imagine sitting in the back of a garden party listening to what sounds like a full orchestra. In addition, what better way to follow up a party than with an after party, which would be an “Early Party” for India? Being one of the more creative tracks, Mablib dominates the sounds with a combination of violins and lasers, reminiscent of music heard during the chase scene in a horror flick.

For me, the word that sums up this CD is “effortless.” Clearly Madlib went into his record collection, picked out some samples, and made some dope beats. With the recent Yesterday New Quintet and the five (yes 5) new alias’ on that album, each strong-arming their interpretation of funk, jazz, soul, Brazilian, etc…it may have caught up to him on his trip to India.