Ghostpoet

But listening to Obaro Ejimiwe’s first record since his Mercury Music Prize-nominated debut Peanut Butter Blues And Melancholy Jam, it would appear that despite the soft-voiced singer and producer known as Ghostpoet going into the studio, the rough edges have been heightened with a gritty feel to many of the songs.

“It would have been the easiest thing to go into the studio and make everything glossy and big,” he says as he prepares to head out on tour.

“I knew I had to continue making recordings that I want to listen to – I never want to make a glossy pop record.”

It didn’t stop him from adding a string quartet to some tracks, but even then it was used sparingly.

“It had to be a reflection of my development,” he says.

“The production was about what was within reach. It felt like the right time to use them – and hopefully next time I can develop that further and do bigger and better things.

“It felt like the right level of external instrumentation so to speak.”

Peanut Butter Blues And Melancholy Jam saw Coventry-based Ejiimwe capture a snapshot of recession-hit Britain with a set of observational lyrics performed in a semi- mumbled style, over beats which combined hip-hop and indie influences.

Having produced his debut album on his own, Ejimiwe employed co-producer Richard Formby to help realise his vision for the follow-up, which has the confusing but ultimately logical title of Some Say I So I Say Light.

Allied to the grittiness of the beats, there seems to be a little more of a personal edge to some of the downbeat songs – although he says only “bits and bobs” are taken from his own life.

“When I made the first record I didn’t know who was going to listen to it,” he says. “I felt I had to go back to that mindset with the follow-up and see what happened.

“I wanted to get a co-producer as I wanted to get into the studio but I don’t have amazing technical skills. I wanted someone who could help with that technical side, as well as help me evolve musically.

“I wanted to do something that would take me out of my comfort zone – and this type of production helped that process.”

He also fought the impulse to get in a range of big star names to collaborate with him on this album – although there’s still an impressive guest list,including drummer Tony Allen and singer-songwriter Lucy Rose.

“I wanted to make sure that everybody who was on it benefited the record musically,” he says.

“I didn’t want to get big names and have people listening to it because that person, or this person, was on it. I wanted to get people who would inspire my creativity and friends like Lucy and Woodpecker Wooliams, who are there because I love their music and their voices.”

Tony Allen was the suggestion of Wild Beasts and Egyptian Hip Hop producer Formby having heard the initial demo of Plastic Bag Brain.

“I thought ‘This is just crazy talk’,” laughs Ejimiwe, who admits to having been a “massive fan” of the Afrobeat legend.

“We thought we should give it a go, and he was up for it. There is another track with Tony Allen which didn’t make the record – it will be a B-side of some sort in the future.

“Basically when we did the first track he asked if we had anything else! He’s just an amazing drummer and professional – it was lovely to work with him.”

The collaboration with Brighton’s own Woodpecker Wooliams on lead single Meltdown was more down to serendipity.

“I had another singer in mind who was going to sing on the track,” admits Ejimiwe. “She decided she couldn’t make it, and we needed to find somebody that next day.

“We approached friends through Twitter who mentioned a few names to check out. I heard her music and sent her the track, luckily the next day she was doing a gig in London.

“Unfortunately she couldn’t hear the track on her phone – but she decided to turn up anyway.”

The track was finished in just a couple of hours. The official video has since received more than 100,000 hits on YouTube, something Ejimiwe puts down partly to her vocal.

“She came in and made it her own, just off the bat,” he says. “None of us expected that – I’m really pleased she’s on the record.”

The live set can now draw on both Ghostpoet records, with Ejimiwe backed by a three-piece of guitar, bass and live drums and a female vocalist.

“There’s always more experimentation live,” he says. “It’s more fun, the sets can be longer and it’s nice to have great players who are open to experimenting. I like how the live show sounds different from the record – it’s a different experience.”

He admits he is still taking each day as it comes.

“Having people like this record is a surprise to me,” he says. “I just make music that I want to hear.

“My inspiration is living – I have to experience things, meet new people, go to new places and discover the ups and downs of life for myself away from music as much as within music.

“I don’t like making tunes totally about myself – it’s about the world I live in, as well as the world I see.

“I want to make music that anyone can pick up and relate to – we all have emotions and go through good times and bad. I’m an orator, just mumbling and talking away hoping that people will find something in it.”

There is one possible plan for the future though – and no doubt he will be taking a look at a few estate agents’ windows this weekend.

“I love Brighton,” he says. “I want to move there – I’m trying to work out how.”