Alt-J’s Joe Newman confirms new solo project

It may only be a little over two years since alt-J released fourth album ‘The Dream’, but there’s no rest for the wicked, and vocalist Joe Newman is already working on something tantalisingly new. “We’re taking a bit of a break from the band. We’ve all got families now, so we’re doing the family thing, but I’m going to be doing a solo project,” he tells us, chatting on the Ivor Novellos red carpet last month, before presenting the award for Best Contemporary Song.

Set to see him explore more of an Americana and Motown vibe, he’s been piecing the project together at a more rapid rate than usual, with the help of producer Carlos De La Garza. “I’ve been going to LA to work with Carlos, who just won a Grammy with the newest Paramore album [‘This Is Why’],” he continues. “We really get on, he’s such a great guy and he’s a really talented musician. He’s got a wonderful ear and is a phenomenal producer; we’ve been having some really great times together. We’ve been taking it song by song and I think next year we might release something.”