Daniel Johns felt 'trapped' in Silverchair

Daniel Johns says he felt trapped in Silverchair while making the band's final and unreleased album.

The singer, who is about to launch his debut solo album, felt restricted and knew it was time to go out on his own.

The product of that, Talk, is a collection of electronic and urban inspired tracks, a far cry from Silverchair's rock sound.

"Sonically, it's a little bit of a protest at being very slightly restricted by the rock `n roll format for a long time," he told AAP in Sydney.

"It didn't feel like a restriction until maybe the last Silverchair record, that didn't get released. I started to feel a bit trapped.

"I was trying to incorporate a lot more electronics into it and it was starting to feel a bit forced and unnatural."

At that point, Johns decided to venture off on his own to experiment with all the "toys" - such as drum machines and vocoders - he had gathered over the years.

"I just wanted to make something really smooth and clean and honest," he said.

The result is definitely smooth. Johns has created one of the most exciting and beautiful Australian albums of the year.

The electronic and urban influences are obvious but there are also soul grooves, pop melodies and Johns' unmistakably strong falsetto.

This change in musical direction and open-mindedness to new sounds and influences was Johns' way of justifying finishing up with the band.

"I felt like that was the only way to legitimise the breaking up of the band. I've got to be open to stuff because anything could happen," he said.

"If you want to be informed ... you have to say yes. You can't be stuck in the same s**t you've done forever."

Some of the most beautiful tracks on the album come courtesy of a collaboration with producer, Joel Little, famous for his work with Kiwi artist Lorde.

Johns managed to catch Little as he was on the cusp of his fame.

"I kind of got in before that whole thing exploded. I think it was midway through the Aerial Love (the first single from the album) session that Lorde went No. 1 in America," he said.

"I probably can't afford him any more."

As for that falsetto, that was something Johns always knew he had in him but was just never able to unleash while competing with cymbals, distortion pedals and guitars.

On Talk, showcasing his vocals has allowed a new kind of intimacy into Johns' work.

"I wanted it to feel like I was telling the world my secret," he said.

Lyrically, he says he tried to keep it simple and not get tied down trying to be clever or poetic.

"I've been guilty of doing that in the past," he said.

He has opted instead for what he describes as "that kind of John Lennon double fantasy thing which is: `this is what's going on, no tricks'."

He's definitely moving on with this new music - his first release in eight years - and it's almost certainly heralded the death knell for Silverchair, something he confirms.

"I'm pretty sure we're not going to reform," he said.

"It's not in my nature to ever say never but if I was a betting man I would put really good money on us not reforming."

He's proud in what the band achieved but Johns feels it's time to just leave it as is.

"I was happy with what we did, I'm really proud of it. I don't feel it's necessary to get back together."

In the meantime, he has his first full-length solo show to focus on as part of the upcoming Vivid Live festival in Sydney's Opera House.

He admits he's pretty nervous. So much so he hasn't started rehearsing, even though it's just a few weeks away.

"I feel significantly under-prepared," he said.

But he's been in touch with his band, giving them specific instructions with the overriding directive to "make it sound like the record".

However, he said the same thing before his show-stealing performance at the recent APRA awards, and if that's anything to go by, his fans are in for something special.

"I just want to get out, do it," he said.