From the depths of California's underground comes the full-length debut of quirky-named producer Peanut Butter Wolf who, on the evidence of the album's title, considers himself a crate-digger of note. That he lives up to his reputation is more than a pleasant surprise.

PBW doesn't actually rhyme on any of his tracks, but instead has assembled a variety of subterranean MC's and DJ's to shine on his dusty, sample-heavy beats that can only be summed up as DJ Shadow's artistry meets DJ Premier's underground funk.

Planet Asia of the Cali Agents duo and Lootpack (of the Likwit crew) add their lyrical expertise to the album's notable bangers 'Definition of Ill' and 'Styles Crew Flows Beats'. PBW ventures deep into the world of experimental turntablism on 'Tale of Five Cities' where he invites 11 of Hip Hop's most progressive DJ's - including Rhettmatic, Cut Chemist and Rob Swift - to contribute to a musical collage that is easily his most innovative piece of work. Clocking in at just over eight minutes, 'Tale' is packed with 'nuff styles and textures, while Wolf constantly adds deft switches and changes to the beat to accommodate every one of his guest deck-wreckers and still hold your attention.

Peanut Butter Wolf has produced a truly admirable debut that showcases his skills and personality without him having to shouting annoyingly over the tracks or other similarly irritating devices. To use a cliche - he just brings it. And although every track isn't of the same consistently high quality (there are at least 3 tracks where the production sounds less than interesting) the respectable rhymes and exceptional turntable work make this a delightful treasure of tasty cuts. [7.5/10]