Prefuse 73

Atlanta-raised Guillermo Scott Herren has cast a long shadow over the experimental-music world over the past dozen years. Though he's done so in a variety of electro, hip-hop, ambient jazz and folktronica contexts (e.g., Savath + Savalas, Risil and Diamond Watch Wrists), his work as Prefuse 73 sets him apart. Herren redefines the role of the MC by creating highly textured soundscapes that alleviate tension with moments of beauty. Above all, he's never stopped messing with form — something demonstrated by his fifth and most recent Prefuse LP, 2009's world-music-snippet-filled Everything She Touched Turned Ampexian.