Fionn Regan's third studio album 100 Days of Sycamore was released in August and it has gathered a slew of great reviews, praising the Wicklow-man's earthy, soothing blend of intricate guitar and delicate vocals. The album sees Regan return to the mood of his first album, 2006's The End of History, an album which was nominated for a Mercury Prize. His follow-up to that, The Shadow of an Empire, proved to be Regan's very own 'Dylan goes electric' moment, showcasing a more rock oriented side to Regan. While this it was acclaimed by critics, it led to a parting with label Lost Highway who seemed to be dissatisfied with this new approach. What was to be next?

Regan will play Cork's Cyprus Ave on 13th May and tickets are available through entertainment.ie/tickets.

You recorded this album on tape, didn't you? What's the benefit of that over digital?

It's a very widely debated subject but you can't tell me anything sounds better than tape, you know? I just love the sound of it, I love the process. I love the idea that there's a master tape. It's a very potent thing. When it comes to the way that I record, everything points toward doing things in a certain fashion. You learn a song, go and play it and everything happens in the room at the same time. We had seven days to record [the album] which, in the times we're living in, is very short. Some people could spend that time just getting a snare sound or to tune a bass or something, or whatever it is that people get up to.

In order to capture it the pre-production on my side was massive. I had to work really, really hard on it. As a songwriter and a producer I'm learning how to get the sort of thing in the windows that I'm offered, in the timeframe. The records that I make are about recording the feeling, not really about anything else.

Do you think that tape helps with that, in that it records the imperfections as well as everything else?

I'm fine with imperfections. A lot of records iron out and airbrush imperfections, they are sort of like a firework display. They're exciting but then someone has to sweep the rockets up the next day. I always feel that what I'm doing is a bit more like the northern lights. You have to travel and put the work in, but it'll be worth it.

Read the full interview here..