Grime star Kano, a former member of one of the genre’s biggest groups in N.A.S.T.Y Crew and the man behind some of its biggest underground hits in ‘Ps and Qs’, ‘Typical Me’ and ‘Boys luv Girls’, has a new album coming out.

He’s already Twittered (is it Twittered or Tweeted, anyway?) about working with Hot Chip, and the group’s Joe Goddard revealed in a recent interview with FACT that the collaboration was for Kano’s album. Eager to find out more, we hooked up with Kano to talk about what (and who) else we can expect from the album, covering Vivaldi for Sony Ericsson’s A Night of Classic Reinvention, and whether he’s still a grime kid or a fully-fledged ‘Rock n ‘Roller’.

"It’s so important for me, even during this iPod shuffling/iTunes buyinggeneration, to deliver a full length record in the truest and mosttraditionalist way"

Hey Kano. How’s it going?

"Yeah, it’s going well thanks. I’m trying to stay inspired and be creative…"

So you’re working on the new album – how far down the path are you?

"I am working on a new album and have been doing so for quite a few months now. It’s going really well. It’s almost starting to take shape now. Albums are one of those things though, it could be never ending but I do believe an album should be made to capture a period of time in an artist’s life. I feel this one is inspired by my life from 2005 to present. I felt there are some stories that have developed and some that haven’t been told in my previous records."

What can we expect from the record?

"You can expect a consistently quality album throughout. It’s so important for me, even during this iPod shuffling/iTunes buying generation, to deliver a full length record in the truest and most traditionalist way – a body of work that is designed to play out from start to finish."

Do you have a title yet, is it gonna be quite grimey, or more on a ‘Rock N Roller’ tip?

"It’s not gonna be like ‘Rock N Roller’ or all "grimey". I’m experimental so I never know what it’s exactly gonna be, I’m always surprising myself. I’m sure it will have elements of what people know me for and some new style shit too. I haven’t got a title yet but I’m working on it. I’m rubbish with titles. I’ve been lucky so far."

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"I live for the times when I take the headphones off and think ‘how the fuck can I flow on this beat?’"

We saw you talking about working with Hot Chip. What sort of stuff are you guys doing together?  Did they approach you? I know Joe and Alexis are well into grime…

"I am working with Hot Chip, yes. I soon found out they were fans of a lot of the music I make and music I grew up on too. Joe’s always talking about Sticky who was one of my favourite producers from the garage world. I didn’t know they was so into it at first. I just liked what they do. I think they’re heavy. I approached them to work on my album and they said yes – simple as that really. Now I think, so far, they’ve made two of my three favourite tracks on the record. I think the tracks we’ve recorded together draw influences from hip hop, grime, UK funky and obviously they’re rough and electronic sounding. What’s so interesting is the two worlds coming together; you never hear my style of spitting on beats like it. I can’t wait for people to hear them."

What other collaborations are on it?

"Other first time collaborations are Radioclit and Boys Noize. I’ve got one featured verse so far from Ghetto, but I’m mainly collaborating with producers. I don’t want or feel I need an album full of features. I’m not that type of artist. It’s not my thing.

"I’m doing some really good stuff with Radioclit. I also featured on a track for The Very Best called ‘Julia’. He played me the beat for it and I was like ‘I want that one’, then he told me it’s taken. I hate when that happens, but I guess I got my chance to spit on it anyway. It’s bad!"

"The Boys Noize stuff I’m really happy with as well. I’ve been out to Berlin a couple times to work on tracks. I think what’s most interesting about these collaborations is, yes we come up with tracks that are a departure from what I’m known for doing, but also beats different to what they’re known for and that’s what makes it fun. Being in that space where you’re both out of your comfort zone and anything could come out. Something special or something pants man! I believe as long as there’s a mutual respect for one another’s skill, something can be created. My thing is if you make a hip-hop or grime track with a producer of that field it possibly could be different, but if you make a hip-hop or grime with say, a drum ‘n’ bass producer like Chase & Status, it will automatically be unique. And I’m more inclined to make music that is unexpected and pushes boundaries. I live for the times when I take the headphones off and think, ‘how the fuck can I flow on this beat?’ And then 15 minutes later…I’ve got it. That’s me. Making my first album again would be too easy."

How did the Vivaldi thing go?

"That shit was nuts! It was a real challenge. It was like saying to Rooney I want you to do 2,000 kick ups with a cricket ball, then volley it in the top corner, from the half way line. Now go on practice that for 30mins then we’re all gonna watch you do it at Old Trafford this evening. Crazy! But it was good man. I got to work with some great people. I fucked my bars up a little but no one knows really. I got to run riot with the mad man Goldie though."