James Murphy’s long-rumored involvement with the new Arcade Fire album has been confirmed by Arcade Fire manager Scott Rodger. As ArcadeFireTube points out, Rodger and his Quest Management Group are featured in this month’s industry trade journal Music Week. In the article, Rodger reveals that the band is working with “Murphy on three or so songs, plus Markus Davis who is a long-time collaborator. They write too many songs — that’s a good problem to have. There’s around 35 songs with Arcade Fire, two albums’-worth for sure.”



Murphy and Arcade Fire have been linked since it was revealed that he has twice missed opportunities to produce their albums. “Before Neon Bible [was recorded] I went to Montreal and hung out with them. We talked about doing the record but it just didn’t work out,” Murphy told BBC Music 6 in 2010. He added, “I took an extra year off but so did they, so when it was time to make [the new LCD Soundsystem] record, they were making theirs.”

However, in an interview with The Huffington Post earlier this year, Murphy said the speculation of him producing the new Arcade Fire album was not necessarily true. He explained: We dont work like that. Because I work with friends, if I have time and theyre doing something and Im on the East Coast, then we can do something. But also they dont need a producer, in a way. They produce themselves. When I was making my record, any number of people came and spent a couple weeks or a week hanging out and being involved in the process.

For their part, Arcade Fire have kept mum on their forthcoming effort. In an October interview with Ottawa radio station CKCU 93.1 FM, drummer Jeremy Gara said the band is recording pretty much full time in their new studio space, though theyre not that far into the process. Were under no pressure to do anything under any sort of schedule. That said, they did recently preview some new music at a private show in Montreal.