Matthew Herbert is not an electronica artist per se – he’s an experimentalist, teaming a sampling base through the use of odd varieties of sounds sourced from the likes of kitchen crockery, his own body, and everyday items that are not normally thought of as musical instruments. But labelling him a sampler does him a great injustice.

“Something Isn’t Right” kicks off Scale with something approaching soul – the smooth vocals of cohort Dani Siciliano ably backed by an array of strings. What strikes about the album is its playfulness – “The Movers and the Shakers” features all the right jazz structures with a bevy of fascinating sounds underneath – but also a song focus that is missing on so many electronic works.

Scale is an album filled with songs, first and foremost, and sonic experiments are just one small part of its make-up. “Moving Like a Train” has a bit of a Paisley Park Prince-like vibe to it, with chopped up rhythms, while “We’re in Love” features the soaring strings of a Phil Spector production.

In finality, Scale goes the whole hog and samples 723 items (including coffins and funeral pumps), while Siciliano’s lyrics hint at a political bent that has not been there in the past. But the thing that most strikes about this album is just how musically satisfying it is to listen to – there’s not a genuine flat spot on it. While hipsters of the world have been eulogising Herbert for some time, Scale marks the point in time where his music is at its accessible best.