The Electric Ladyland series (slogan: “Electric Soul for Rebels”) numbered six releases in all — four single CDs and two doubles — and was a kind of meeting ground for a range of producers and artists interested in pushing hip-hop, dub, and electronic music into new realms of bass, aggression, and punishing sonic impact. There are no bad volumes, but the final set encapsulated the whole series’ strengths, with booming, roaring tracks from Techno Animal, WordSound Recordings acts Spectre and Slotek, post-hip-hop philosopher DJ Spooky That Subliminal Kid, crushingly heavy German noise/drum ’n’ bass producer Panacea, and many more. This is music best experienced at terrifying volume, with the aid of a subwoofer the size of a canoe.

– Phil Freeman