Onstage, Paolo Morena's only companion is the prospect of imminent technical catastrophe... but his chaotic live show is a thrilling triumph

While he’s most effectively described as a ‘21st-century one-man band’, the first thing you have to understand about Paolo Morena is that he’s not a one-man band. There’s no bass drum strapped to his back nor cymbals clamped between his knees. Paolo’s a master of numerous musical disciplines and the possessor of a broadly-ranging voice that, as emotion strikes (which is often) suggests Jeff Buckley, but he also wrangles loops in a similarly compelling style to a professional spinner of plates.

Human beatboxes have been known to utilise similar methods, but it’s rarely attempted - especially on such an ambitious scale - with conventional instrumentation, because it’s bloody hard. Bloody hard to the point of being virtually impossible, in fact. No Alberton, no MIDI, just a click, two loop pedals, a load of instruments, and a microphone.