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12. The Catchphrase buzzer: Rusko ‘Mr Chips’(Sub Soldiers, 2008)

Erstwhile cockney thug Rusko aced his sample skills with the homely 8-bit twang from Catchphrase, taking us back to the old school and highlighting just how fun dubstep could be.

11. A phonecall to the missus: Claude VonStroke ‘Deep Throat’ (Dirtybird, 2005)

The main noise used on this track is a strange, throaty gurgle Claude would make down the phone to his wife to stop her falling asleep. He recorded it, broke it down and used it to create every element. Wow.

10. A zebra crossing: Orbital ‘Walk Now’ (FFRR, 1993)

An Australian zebra crossing, to be precise. Legend has it old ravers still make pilgrimages solely to stop, look, listen... And hold illicit flash raves. FYI: The title of their debut album refers to the Green Cross Code. Safety first, kids.

9. A dad swearing: Riva Starr ‘Scratch N’ Itch’ (Southern Fried, 2008)

The ‘raw’ snippet heard on the off-beats is actually Riva’s dad saying ‘fuck you’. Riva tells us he found this sonic nugget on an old family camcorder video. That’s what DJs’ dads do on holiday: swear a lot.

8. An apple: Noisia ‘Breezeblock’ (Unreleased, 2006)

On her Radio 1 show Mary Anne Hobbs asked fans to submit samples. One cool customer sent in the sound of an apple being bitten, which was used for a funky half-time swing and kept the Noisia family doctor at bay for a while. 

7. The Surbiton to Waterloo train: Caustic Window ‘Clayhill Dub’ (Rephlex, 1993)

This distorted rush is just one of a million mad Aphex Twin samples: video games, his mum, Willy Wonka – even a Tampax ad. Oh, and he once made a whole tune out of waveforms of his own face!

6. Chris Morris: Amon Tobin ‘Bad Sex’ (Ninja Tune, 2000)

Insects, tigers, motorbikes, tap water... Tobin has sampled enough weird shit to fill this list. This collab with satirist Morris isn’t just great use of noise manipulation, it’s also a rare moment when electronica and comedy work well together.

5. A hamster: London Elektricity ‘Yikes’ (Hospital, 2011)

After signing Mistabishi’s ‘Printer Jam’, a tune made from a Canon Bubblejet, Hospital’s head honcho sampled his son’s hamster gnawing at its cage. The album release was held up for months as Elektricity and the hamster fell out over royalties.

4. A packet of crisps: Alan Fitzpatrick ‘An Unusual Afternoon’ (Drumcode, 2009)

Word to the wise: techno isn’t cheesy, it’s cheese and oniony. Well, it is when Alan Fitzpatrick gets busy. Hear that light rustle in the percussion? That’s an empty packet of Walker’s Squares, that is.

3. A power drill: Nick Thayer ‘Mind Control’ (Passenger, 2008)

Not just any power drill, but one low on power. You can hear its struggling whines just before the build. Nick made himself useful while draining its battery: he put up some shelves, hung a picture and fitted a shed door. Who says dance’s lost its DIY spirit?

2. A fart: DJ Preach ‘The Bailout’ (Wehbba tech-house mix) (Relic, 2008)

The techno trouser cough used on this bassline was blasted out by Wehbba’s friend after a hearty meal. He’s also sampled strange rainforest animals he describes as ‘duck monkeys’ and ‘cricket birds’.

1. A pig: Matthew Herbert ‘One Pig’ (Accidental, 2011)

Is there any noise the politically-minded sound scientist Herbert hasn’t sampled? A mouse, a washing machine, the Houses Of Parliament, the sewers under Fleet Street... shucks, you’d think that if anyone had sampled a fart it would be him, on his 2001 album ‘Bodily Functions’. This month sees him release ‘One Pig’, an album made entirely from the sounds of one swine’s life, from birth to eventual consumption, in order to create an understanding of just where your meal comes from. Food for thought...