AS his fourth album Tomorrow, Then is released on Monday, singer-songwriter Conrad Vingoe talks about alchemy, sea-swimming and man-made music.

“A large part of the beauty and inspiration of Brighton is the sea. Every day it’s different and the size and power of it is awesome. I’m a big fan of sea swimming. In Victorian times doctors used to prescribe it as a medicine for all sorts of diseases and I believe there is some truth in that. “Brighton has just the right amount of crazy to keep things interesting. Everybody likes a bit of crazy.

“Music was always about the creation of something new for me. It’s fun to play along to other people’s songs but I’ve never been a “noodler”, banging out free-jazz solos. I started writing songs a couple of years after I started playing guitar. They were pretty terrible obviously but I loved it. The writing really took off when I had a bad arm injury which forced my singing to the fore a bit more.

“I like music to sound like it was made by a person rather than a computer. I want to hear a musician’s soul on a record and those old records by 1960s and 1970s folk like Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Nick Drake and old jazz like Billie Holiday, Django Reinhardt have that, they have soul.

“I was familiar with [album producer] Phill Brown’s work for years although I didn’t know it. Engineers’ names are often hidden away in the small print of liner notes. The big record for me that Phill had recorded was Spirit Of Eden by Talk Talk - one of my favourite records of all time. I read an interview with Phill in Tape-op (a recording magazine) and emailed him on spec.

“I wanted to cut everything live and to tape, singing and playing at the same time, three people in a room like records used to be made in the 1960s and 1970s. I’ve had engineers tell me it’s not possible to do. I knew Phill was familiar with working this way. It was a real education to see him at work - some sort of magical alchemy going on. I’ve no idea what he did differently to other engineers but it sounded amazing, I’m convinced he’s some sort of sorcerer.”

Conrad launches Tomorrow, Then at Otherplace at The Basement, in Kensington Street, Brighton, on Thursday, March 5. Doors 8pm, tickets £5/£4/£3. Call 07800 983290.

Find out more at conradvingoe.co.uk or visit facebook.com/conradvingoemusic orl listen at youtu.be/3DQkp8g088k

Tomorrow, Then is available to pre-order through Rough Trade and digitally on iTunes