Did you deliberately decide to make this album hark back to your electronic roots, or did it just turn out that way?
As with everything I've done, it just turned out that way. I'm not good at planning these things out or thinking too far ahead. I never have been. Part of it is I just make the music I want to listen to at that particular time and the other part is that I'd put a new logic program on my computer last year and was really enjoying playing with it at home and the record just grew out of that and all the inspiring sounds I could find or create. The difference now to before is that making the last album taught me so much about playing and arranging and engineering and production etc.. That I can really enjoy just being self sufficient and making records wherever I am on my own. It feels really good to get lost completely in my own world and create a new sound that way. Then on top of that, when I do get into a studio with Rollo or Sister Bliss it just feels amazing to have their extra inspiration and input at that point and watch the tracks transform. I'm having a lot of fun making this record.
When you're in this stage of the process, do you find yourself thinking about nothing else but recording? Or are you good at leaving it behind when you shut the studio door?
I'm not great at leaving it behind properly if I'm in a proper studio situation and I've always got songs and ideas going round in my head at all times. It's how I see the world around me I suppose. But I have good periods of time when I don't think too much about it as there's so many other things I like doing or learning about and people I want to see. I also get my best ideas when I just forget about it all for a minute and let my brain relax!
Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night and written lyrics?
I've dreamt a few lyrics and I've learnt that you have to write them down. I always think I'll remember them in the morning and never do.
Finally, what was your favourite book of 2009?
My favourite by far of last year was BROOKLYN by Colm Toibin. Really moving and engaging. I was gutted to finish it as I wanted to stay in that world for longer.
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