Pablo - Turntable Technology

Turntable Technology is the highly surprising debut double album from Michael Hunter, also of Butch Cassidy Sound System. Opening with the track from which the album takes its title, the precedent is set for what proves to be an unexpectedly diverse and brilliant release. Upon first listen Turntable Technology sounds like The Avalanches being cut up by DJ Shadow's protégé, but further plays reveal an exceptionally deep album that successfully manages to fuse an array of sounds, breaks, beats and samples together with great talent. Soul, jazz, hip-hop, classical and soundtrack samples are all stitched together with an expert attention to detail, almost cinematic in its grandeur. By the time the second instrumental CD is played it really does feel as though you are being taken on a journey, a term that is bandied around far to much in music reviews, yet it feels very appropriate when applied here. [Chris Duncan]