Combover kings Maximo Park have started recording their third album in Los Angeles, with PiL and Nick Cave producer Nick Launay at the helm.

Speaking about the sessions, frontman Paul Smith said, “We are (fairly) hard at work on the new album with a man called Nick Launay, who has worked with a lot of legends and he's just finished the latest Yeah Yeah Yeahs album too. We're hoping his magic powers will rub off on our new songs... Up to now we've been going through songs, it's been a long process, but it feels tantalizing now we're recording them.

"As we're in the Valley, there aren't many distractions (especially since I can't drive), although there is a cable channel that shows English, Spanish and Italian football. I've already set my alarm to watch the early Premiership matches...

"The whole affair is going to be quite stripped down compared to the last album because we don't like to repeat ourselves. Our producer Nick thinks it's a dance record, and who are we to disagree? Don't be alarmed though, we won't be donning face masks and gore-tex like Altern-8, or dancing like electric monkeys. Apart from Lukas.”