Some bands plug away for years to get their music heard, employing a whole staff of people to get their records on the radio and in magazines.

But Australian band The Middle East found themselves suddenly getting played and appraised in the months after they split back in 2008.

“Jordan [Ireland] and Rohin [Jones] started the band as a summer project in 2005 to get together and have some fun,” says drummer Mike Haydon. “It gradually morphed into a proper band.”

The following year the band, which is based in Townsville in Queensland, on the northern tip of Australia, started on their debut album, The Recordings Of The Middle East, which was released online and sold to friends in 2008.

But the band’s initial impetus was halted that same year by Jordan going overseas, effectively breaking up the project.

“When the band broke up a few people managed to get hold of the disc, both at home and overseas,” says Mike, who has known the band since it first began, but only became a full member last year.

As interest grew in different circles, Jordan returned to Australia and restarted the band, which cut their original full-length debut down to a mini-album to reflect the direction their music was going in.

“One of the main circles was the label Spunk Records,” says Mike. “Aaron Curnow, who runs the label, took a big gamble on the band and gave us a pretty decent kickstart.”

Although unknown outside Australia, Spunk is the label which brought albums by the likes of Antony And The Johnsons, Bat For Lashes, Stephen Malkmus, Bonnie Prince Billy and Sufjan Stevens down under, as well as supporting fellow hotly-tipped artists Surfer Blood.

The label not only released the EP, but also set up a series of Australian tour supports for the band to help them get noticed.

And it has worked, with The Middle East currently earning international comparisons to the likes of Arcade Fire, Fleet Foxes and Grizzly Bear.

“It sets up an interesting precedent, something we have to live up to,” says Mike. “It’s a big compliment to be put alongside bands we took a lot of inspiration from.

“It does mean you’re put in a box though, and with some of the comparisons we don’t really see how people arrive at them.”

This summer has seen the band embark on their first ever overseas tour. In the US the band has been supporting Laura Marling and Mumford And Sons, and they will be coming to Brighton fresh from playing the Jazz/World stage at Glastonbury.

As well as tracks such as the breathtaking Blood from their debut, which sees acoustic soundscapes slowly crescendo overlaid by passionate male and female vocals, the band will be playing material from the forthcoming follow-up album.

“We’ve been chipping away at the full album for the past year I guess,” says Mike.

“We worked on it while we were at home in Townsville and for a month in the US. We will spend another month on it when we get back to put the finishing touches on it. It’s shaping up really well. We’ve built the foundation, now we have to make sure it all works together properly.”

Judging by the reaction to their debut EP, this will be one of the most eagerly anticipated albums of the year – keep watching this space.

Support from Pearly Gate Music.

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