Maccabees To Work With Roots Manuva

Brighton indie troupe The Maccabees have confirmed details of a new collaboration with Roots Manuva.

The Maccabees return has taken everyone by surprise. Sure, 2007's debut album 'Colour It In' might have been an assured slice of breezy indie pop but it didn't exactly break down new barriers.

Follow up 'Wall Of Arms' has charmed critics with its vast orchestrations and emotive lyrics. Much more personal than the lilting pop of their debut, The Maccabees new album is a tense and emotional affair.

Now it seems that the band are due to work with Roots Manuva. The rapper is one of the most respected figures in UK hip hop, and recently worked with Speech Debelle on her Mercury award winning debut album.

Teaming up with The Maccabees, the two talents are set to work on a new version of the band's forthcoming single 'No Kind Words'.

"We reworked No Kind Words and he (Roots Manuva) did a vocal on it and it sounds amazing," guitarist Hugo White told 6 Music News.

The guitarist was quick to add that he couldn't reveal much more about it than this. "It’s still a bit under wraps until we decide what to do with it."

However the band did admit that they were immediately charmed by the rapper. "He (Roots Manuva) said to us: 'I remember the first gig I went to at Brixton, it was the Police. We were like, 'Wicked', and he goes, 'Yeah, the Metropolitan Police Brass Band'," said frontman Orlando Weeks.

"He’s a sweetheart, a very cool guy."

The Maccabees / Roots Manuva collaboration is due to be released later this year.