HOW Long - a single off Matt Battle's forthcoming debut album - was released on Monday.

The album, titled Cut Your Teeth - said to be like "Violent Femmes meets Syd Barrett with Colombian flair" - will be out on July 4.

Not only is it Matt's solo debut, but it's the first offering from his record label, Southend Records, based in Westcliff.

The label - headed by Rebecca Gillieron - will be marking the occasion with a launch gig at the Railway Hotel on Saturday July 2, with an in-store from Matt the same day, at South Records in Queen's Road, Southend.

Born and bred in Leigh, Matt played in a variety of post-punk/anti-folk bands including Captain Blood Blood and the Sea Dogs and Papyrus Pirates, before going his own way and heading off to Bogota, Colombia, where most of the Cut Your Teeth was made.

Gillieron says: "Matt plays all instruments featured as well as singing all the vocal parts, and he recorded and produced the album himself. The result is playful, bitter, fearless and entirely authentic."

Matt says his influences also include Colombian Vallenato artists such as Rafael Escalona and the Salsa singer Hector Lavoe from Puerto Rico. "I love his music because he sings about existential stuff to salsa music which is more spritely" he adds.

For more information follow Matt at facebook.com/mattbattlelofi, and Southend Records at facebook.com/southendrecords