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Blockhead first came to my attention as Aesop Rock’s go-to producer, and his work on those albums was a major factor in my appreciation of them. Truly, an emcee that outlandish needs a producer who can create a sonic environment for him to thrive in, and Blockhead’s brooding, melodic soundscapes are always precisely crafted and just weird enough to fit the bill.

This week sees the release of his fourth solo album, The Music Scene, a methodical, cinematic sea of instrumentals. Here, Blockhead’s production mastery and attention to detail are really given a chance to shine without any proper vocals to work around. Each track is a dense collection of samples, expertly arranged to achieve the most mystifying, psychedelic result. Much of the material sounds more trip-hop or downtempo than anything, until Blockhead starts piling on the pounding drums that drive the album to its next peak.

Here’s one of my favorite tracks, “Only Sequences Change,” which is great evidence of how Blockhead can build up a track with layer after layer of sound.

Although to be fair, the album is really best appreciated in its entirety. It’s a slow burner, and as it gradually weaves through each song, surprising samples and transitions spring up at just the right moment. I said Blockhead’s compositions were cinematic, and just like any movie soundtrack, you only get a small piece of the story with just one song. Even taken in all at once, the staggering number of details and subtleties worked into each song will take you more than a few listens to really appreciate.