men of note: hot chip

Having released five studio albums over a period of 12 years, British outfit Hot Chip have managed to remain one of the most well-respected and original pop bands in Britain. "We've never bothered the charts too much and been the sound everyone wants to copy, so people haven't got sick of us," says multi-instrumentalist Mr Owen Clarke, enjoying some downtime on a festival tour throughout Europe, the US and Canada.

Latest album, In Our Heads, released three months ago on Domino, is considered by many to be their best. With nods to hip-hop, R&B (influences originally interpreted as ironic on their first albums), electronica and disco, it seems familiar yet more balanced. "It felt as if the songwriting came together and the songs all bedded better. We used similar instruments in most of the tracks so they appear as part of one world." A positive thing, Mr Clarke says, in an age where the idea of a polished album is dying.

Looking to promote the band's new material, more festivals in locations such as Japan and Australia await Hot Chip this winter, followed by their own headline US tour. Latest single, "How Do You Do?", which is out now, is set to be a crowd favourite. "That track features my vocals. It started off very electronic, yet when we play it live it becomes more disco. It's a work in progress, even though it's been committed to tape."

If nothing else, it's a sign that the band remains capable of hits akin to "Over and Over" and "Ready for the Floor". Check out the five tracks currently inspiring Mr Clarke below, plus the band's video to "Night and Day", featuring the lovely Ms Lara Stone.