Micko Westmoreland has been making records since April 1996. He has clocked up three NME singles of the week, a Peel session with Si Begg, a deal with Interscope Records under the moniker of ‘The Bowling Green,’ and a starring role in Todd Haynes reappraised cult glam rock movie, ‘Velvet Goldmine.’ He has also scored two feature films, the latest of which, ‘Quinceanera/ Echo Park LA,’ won the Grand Jury prize for best drama and the Audience Award at Sundance 2006.

‘Wax & Wayne’ signals a new departure for Micko – away from his electronic dance-based past. It features performances from Ed Harcourt, Leo Abrahams (Brian Eno, Grace Jones, Paul Simon, Bryan Ferry), Luke Bullen (Joe Strummer), Arnulf Lindler (KT Tunstell) and Terry Edwards.

Inspired by a quote from Carl Jung, Wax & Wayne is a highly textured and personal selection of songs with influences from Beck, Bowie, Nick Drake, Mark Hollis, and even Morrissey. The vocals and lyrics have a very British slant yet the arrangements owe a debt to the wide open heart of America, featuring slide guitars and a lilting Country twang, hence the ‘Wayne’ of the title (as in ‘John.’)

Micko describes Wax & Wayne as “a subtle cocktail of unpleasant emotions, betrayal, jealousy, abandonment and unrequited love. All wholesome stuff!” He adds that; ‘Music doesn’t always have to be “feel good”; it can take you through all the emotions. This album is the sound of me fighting my way out of a corner, a place where most artists produce their most interesting stuff’

The artwork reflects the album’s title with a lunar motif. ‘Using the moon in the album was also important to me, as it’s traditionally a romantic symbol but it’s also stark and cool and that very much reflected the tone. I wanted to make a record that sounded like music but read like a novel.’

So why the change from disco and glamour? ’It no longer seemed relevant,” says Micko, “a process of excavation took place on this record in order to bring it to life, and you don’t find Christmas decorations at an archeological dig.” It’s a no compromises approach that puts Micko on new if slightly risky ground. “I reckoned if I set out to please myself that in turn I would please others along the way’.

With live dates to be confirmed with an all-star cast, Westmoreland looks forward to putting the new music out into the world. ‘This album is by far my best work to date so I’m really looking forward to what comes along the way,’ he says. “I’ve learnt nowadays, to keep my eye on the doughnut, rather than the hole in the middle.”