Klaxons Start Over on New Album 'Surfing the Void'

A lot of ink has been spilled explaining that the new Klaxons record, 'Surfing the Void,' only came together when producer Ross Robinson (Slipknot, the Cure, At the Drive-In) replaced Simian Mobile Disco's James Ford, who produced the band's Mercury Prize-winning debut. And judging by the language Klaxons' bassist/vocalist Jamie Reynolds uses when discussing Robinson, there's plenty more to say about it.

"The moment that [Robinson] walked into our lives, he sat there and I realized that this man was going to absolutely help shape and nurture us, and help the band on a personal level to bring us to the absolute utmost of our ability, to allow us to flower and be our absolute best," Reynolds tells Spinner. And the love letter language doesn't end there.

"He's such a comfortable man at understanding life," Reynolds continues. "He's so incredibly there, sort of present, that I knew his approach to life was absolutely perfectly suitable for where this band needed to find itself -- as a collection of individuals and [also] as a collective unit."

Robinson has been widely quoted as saying he helped the band record "the most violent British record to date." While the jury's still out on that one -- 'Surfing the Void' is a far cry from its predecessor, but 'violent' isn't the first word it brings to mind -- Robinson's contributions are immediately apparent. The meaty rhythm of first single 'Echoes,' ensconced in sharp guitar sounds, urgently crashes into its listener not twenty seconds in; the album's title track bursts in, swirling like a bizzarro-world At the Drive-In song. Molded by Robinson's hands, these aren't the "New Rave" Klaxons of 2007, but rather a tighter, more formidable force. The fantastical aspect of the band's lyrics remains, but now boasts something of a gothic sheen.

Reynolds explains that Robinson's input wasn't necessarily of the "I want you to sound more like this" variety. Rather, the producer helped the band become comfortable trying new things in a very short state of time -- the record was written between September and November of last year -- which helped evolve their sound.

"The second time around, when we finished working with James and had gone to work with Ross, we then had a member of our band that wasn't comfortable in his role. I'd taken on a new role as the writer and lyricist. Everybody had taken on a brand-new role. We were kind of beginning again."