In terms of the singles, the sound is very typical McAlmont & Butler. Is the album very similar to the 1st single?
Bernard: It's similar in direction, but the sound isn't completely representative of the whole record, it's quite diverse. I think that's good. The songs sound good together. It's a combination of David's voice and what we actually do within the song-writing. It's not just about what you hear, it's the feeling you get from a record. So many records, particularly dance and rock, are very linear in their approach. I'm much more interested in making things as colourful as possible.

Can you take us through the division of labour and the creative process on the song-writing on this album?
David: It varies depending on how far Bernard goes with a piece of music. Sometimes I add to what he has done or sometimes I make suggestions as to what I think we should write. It's never the same which I think is why we have such variety. With 'Falling' for example, it was pretty much finished and we just worked on the words together.
Bernard: The ideal is that there is no ego within it and that the song rules everything. All that matters is what comes out of the speakers and that's what we're very focussed on. It doesn't matter how you get there or who does it, just that it sounds great. It's a very unselfish way of making music.

Would you like to talk about your influences? Maybe not necessarily in making this album, but general inspiration.
Bernard: With regard to what I wanted to get out of Dave's voice there's Dave Gaudin's Deep Soul which is in 3 volumes. They're compilations of old soul records, and the name implies that they're trying to see how much they can get out of a soul voice - how far a voice can go beyond purely singing.
David: I've always cared about the words of a song, and how they are sung, so Dionne Warwick singing the Baccharach and David song 'Books' is really important to me. I'm amazed what Burt Baccharach created musically. I really like Joni Mitchell as well as a lyricist - song-writing as a diary of life. That's how I write lyrics. Also anything by Stevie Wonder in the 70's, favourites being Fulfillingness' First Finale and Innervisions

Is there anyone you can namecheck as an influence for your string arrangements, as you're famous for that?
Bernard: Jack Nitzsche who arranged for the Rolling Stonesand Neil Young, and worked with Phil Spector. He was very diverse, eccentric and emotional, and he has influenced me as an arranger.