January 5, 2006 10:01

Ian Brown reveals new album plans

King Monkey brings in the orchestra for new tracks

Photo Gallery: Ian Brown
Photo: Dean Chalkley

Ian Brown had revealed he has completed five songs for a new album.

The as yet untitled record will be the follow up to his 2005 best of compilation ‘The Greatest’.

He told NME.COM that the new album will be feature orchestration, and could be released as early as the summer.

Brown said he plans to record the majority of the album in Eastern Europe.

“I’ve made contingency plans to got to Latvia," he said. "The orchestras record a semitone up or down from normal western players. So it will give it a twist. A friend’s got a studio over there.”

Following the sessions in Latvia, the former Stone Roses frontman will jet off to Mexico.

“I’ve got four or five rough tracks and I’ve got a kid who’s going to score it for the orchestra,” he continued.” I’ve also got a pal with a studio in Mexico City. So I’m going to do four or five in Latvia and four or five in Mexico. I’d like to go to Amsterdam for obvious reasons, inspiration-wise, and do four or five there.”

The new tracks will be heavy on “trumpets and violins” He added: “I’m going to work with the players from my live band and bring them in a lot more. I’m improving all the time. I’ve done some strong stuff with UNKLE and hopefully I’m going to do some work with Scratch Perverts in the future. I’m writing a song for a well-known girl singer, but I’m not at liberty to say who it is. She’s a proper singer. You’ll hear about it soon.”