I was somewhat leery of “Inform – Educate – Entertain.” I discovered this album on NPR First Listen, and the photo accompanying the stream featured Public Service Broadcasting’s bespectacled frontman, J. Willgoose Esq., wearing a cordoroy suit, complete with a bow tie, tapping on a laptop.

Was this going to be some kind of hipster IDM? Maybe some kind of pretentious sound art? Frankly, it’s neither and, upon listening through the album, I was pleasantly surprised.

Now, “Inform – Educate – Entertain,” available in the states on Nov. 19, does feature some very danceable rhythms, so IDM is not necessarily a misnomer. However, rather than utilizing electronic drum loops, as most keyboard clickers would, Public Service Broadcasting backs its melodies with the live drumming of Wrigglesworth.

Despite generous digital accompaniment, Public Service Broadcasting leans more towards the stylings of a rock band, albeit a most unconventional one. There’s the aforementioned acoustic drums, and Willgoose, in addition to sequencing and sampling, plays guitar and banjo. Yes, banjo, just check out that hillbilly break downs on “Theme From PSB” or “Roygbiv” to hear just how well it works in context.

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I’ve been saving the most novel element of PSB. Neither member of the band sings. Instead, Willgoose chops and samples dialogue from old government propaganda and information films. BBC Sound Archive founder, Marie Slocombe and Thomas Woodrooffe unwittingly lend their voices to PSB’s soundscape.

Of course, this isn’t a bold new approach for vocal accompaniment. A slew of bands in the mid-80s, like Big Audio Dynamite and Tackhead, and more recently several post-rock groups like Mogwai and Godspeed You! Black Emperor have employed this technique to great effect.

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PSB, however, uses sampled dialogue throughout almost every track, creating some interesting narratives in the process. On the rocking “Signal 30,” samples from old driver safety films create an ominous road rage dialogue atop rollicking drums and searing electric guitar. In “Night Mail” Willgoose chops the vocals in such a way as to invoke a hip-hop-esque flow.

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The arrangements on “Inform – Educate – Entertain” range from hard-rocking to ambient, taking listeners on quite a mellifluous journey. An impressive feat, especially considering  it’s the group’s debut album.

While it is grandiose, and sometimes self-indulgent, “Inform – Educate – Entertain” displays some talented musicians thinking way outside the box. It will be very interesting to see what these guys put out in the future.