ARAB STRAP RETURN WITH FIRST ALBUM SINCE 2005

“IT’S about hopelessness and darkness,” says Aidan Moffat. “But in a fun way.”

The Arab Strap frontman is speaking about the band’s seventh studio album ‘ As Days Get Dark’, and their first since 2005’ s ‘ The Last Romance.’

Moffat makes it clear that the aim is not to “recapture the 90s,” but instead to create a distinctive album and move forward.

“This album feels like its own new thing to me,” he says. “It’s definitely

Arab Strap, but an older and wiser one, and quite probably a better one.”

Across the 11 tracks, the band have tapped into their core foundations, but also stretched it out into new terrain.

The mix of post- rock soundscapes, subtle electronics, clicking drum beats, swelling strings and Moffat’s half- sung, half- spoken vocals are all present, but so too is are new additions – from blasts of saxophone to disco grooves and an immersive production that takes you deep into the stories.

“We’ve had enough distance from our earlier work to reappraise and dissect the good and bad elements of what we did,” says Malcolm Middleton. “Not many bands get to do this, so it’s great to split up.”

The band reconnected with producer Paul Savage, with just the three of them in the studio, as it was the very first time around.

“Paul brings comfort and trust,” says Middleton, “And a sense of continuity.”

“I’ve never been interested in making slick records,” says Moffat. “But the new stuff sounds much fuller, brighter and better because we actually know what we’re doing.

“I think for a long time we didn’t know how to express what we wanted in a studio.”

‘ As Days Gets Dark’ is a record that is a continuation for the band as well as a leap forward, Middleton concludes: “There’s no point getting back together to release mediocrity.”