I only get recognised occasionally, and that’s usually in record shops,” says Stereolab’s Tim Gane with no small measure of relief.

“It’s nice, because I like to be the backroom boy of the band.”

Tim’s position as quietly industrious writer of the band could just as easily be applied to the multi-national outfit’s place in the wider context of the music industry. Stereolab have produced a stack of critically lauded records during their 18-year existence, but have always seemed happy to give the mainstream a wide berth.

Chemical Chords, the band’s ninth full-length effort, is a more taut, poppy proposition than its recent predecessors, full of brass and strings, thanks to the return to the fold of arranger Sean O’Hagan.

Worked up from a series of drum loops and improvised chord sequences, the writing process was something of a departure for Tim, who apparently thrives on setting himself limits.

“I try not to take the path of least resistance and I always look for a kind of friction in what I’m doing,” he says.

“It’s about finding ways of doing things that are different – it’s like making a kind of obstacle course for myself.

“It’s not like people need to know how it was written to enjoy the album, it’s just the way I want to do things.”

Dozens of tracks were recorded during the sessions for Chemical Chords, and Tim admits he’s not entirely sure the band selected the best ones for the record. The songs that didn’t make the cut will soon be released, however.

As one of the creative mainstays of the band, along with singer and lyricist Laetitia Sadier, Tim has frequently expressed his discomfort with being on-stage.

Has it got any easier over the years?

“No, it’s rarely changed from a shyness point of view,” he says.

“I was very shy as a teenager, but music propelled me through that in a way. Being on-stage was very traumatic for me at first, but not so much now. It’s like doing lots of flights. Now I sort of get in my own world.”

Tim is well-known for his disregard of all things digital, and so touring comes with its own logistical problems, as Stereolab bring their analogue synths to each stage.

“It’s completely impractical,” Tim says.

“People get the hump with me because I’m insisting on using this old stuff, but I couldn’t bear to listen to these digital versions. They play on top of everything and don’t bleed into the record. The others say, ‘People won’t be able to tell’, but I’ll always say, ‘I can tell’.”

Now resident in Berlin, Tim says he’s looking forward to bringing the new tracks to the live stage.

“It can be really exciting, and I love the playing, but there’s a lot of waiting around and you’re a bit more run-down than you normally are,” he says.

“It’s about trying to find that balance between professionalism and enjoying yourself.”

He describes working new material up for the stage as, “like doing cover versions of your own songs”.

For a band that spends much of its time getting the sounds just right in the studio, Stereolab spend surprisingly little time in rehearsals. “I always like the improvisational element,” Tim says.

“Songs like Ping Pong or whatever will stay as they are, but others we stretch and see how far they go. It’s really obvious some tracks seem to work more with people in a live setting than others.”

Support from That Was The Week That Was.

  • Starts 7.30pm. Tickets £13.50, call 01273 673311.