Edinburgh's The Beta Band were almost willful in their eclecticism, mashing minimalist electronics, acoustic folk, hip-hop, punky garage rock, and experimental noise into a gleefully varied sound. If you didn't like a Beta Band song, just stick around a couple minutes: it was almost sure to change. 1997's pastoral "Dry the Rain," from their early-recordings compilation The Three EPs, quickly became an international cult favorite. The group released three proper albums—The Beta Band, Hot Shots II, and Heroes To Zeroes—before splitting suddenly in the summer of 2004.