I’m just going to come out and say it: Turning Dragon is brilliant.

If Liam Howlett and Richard D James ever had a fight, this would be the soundtrack to it. And what an epic battle it would be. Dirty drums, hatter-mad sampling and circuit-bent sounding electronics all make for one hell of a listen.

The album opens on a high note with New Year Storm, an adequate title now that 2008 is in full swing. The sound effects are absolutely maddening on this song, and sound like they could only have come from the keyboard Satan had made for him personally by Robert Moog (I’m not suggesting Moog is in hell, the man deserves heaven for making such awesome synths).

Volcan Veins seems reminiscent of Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned era Prodigy, if not only for the perfect mixture of dirty electronics and female vocals. The use of cut-and-paste vocals is a touch of genius, and it all comes together brilliantly. Incredibly layered, yet never sounding busy.

It’s difficult to pick lesser moments on this album, because it just doesn’t stop. Things run very smoothly and with precision timing – before you have the chance to get bored, the song you’re listening to makes a U-turn, just for the hell of it.

I imagine Clark is some kind of mad scientist who really lost it and took a liking to electronica, to then take it to territories that only he can reach. I see him alone in a tiny room at night in a lab coat, slaving over wires and circuitry. He’d test his music on animals first (with no pain involved, just a warehouse full of zoo animals and Clark on a stage), and then record the results. Repeat as necessary until animals begin breakdancing, then release.

Mercy Sines deserves a mention for the sheer pace. Opening pleasantly enough, then giving way to absolutely unrelenting and brutal drums, but all brilliantly complimented by ambient keyboard drones far into the background. It’s all over in three minutes, but during that time your eardrums feel like they’re being hit by sticks. In the greatest way possible, too. If I were to deafen myself, I’d probably do it with this track. Do it with style.

Beg may just be the highlight of the album, although that’ll be open to debate in my head for a very long time to come. Dissonant, distorted chords introduce you to the song, then it really kicks in and shows how it must sound inside Clark’s head when he drinks a cup of tea and reads the newspaper. The track slowly breaks down into a beautiful keyboard piece, almost making you forget how the song started. Fucking brilliant.

Just to bring the album to a closer, Penultimate Persian just makes you want to hear the whole damn album over again. The drum machine work is truly off its face, and the keyboard playing is enough to open a wormhole and suck you into a 16 bit videogame. The track builds to a crescendo, then tapers out. And then you put it on again. Repeat as necessary until breakdancing occurs.