There may be talk on a national level that the release of the Milk’s forthcoming new album has seen them become more soulful, but as homegrown fans will recognise that was the Wickford boys’ sound all along before they hit the big time.

“Most people who heard of us after we were signed will know us because of our first record,” said Mitch Ayling, the Milk’s drummer.

“That was a real soulful, rich sounding song to begin with, but the producer turned it into a crossover hip hop-soul record.

“When people listen to our new album they are going to think we’ve had a massive change, but actually that’s always been our sound.

“We obviously had a conversation about this, how people were going to perceive it, and whether it might mean have some casualties, but then we might gain some new fans too.

“The fact of the matter is about why we do this – I mean, you can’t write anything, a film or anything, just because you want it to be popular, it has to be because you want to make it.

“We make music because it’s the music we like to make and if people like it too, that’s great. So yeah, we are pleasing ourselves.

We have to.”

The album is due out in the autumn, in line with their forthcoming UK tour.

“Sadly, there are no Essex stops in the tour,” said Mitch. “We do want to play locally more often that we are able to, but we are hoping our fans from home will make that small migration to the Scala in London to support us.

“It sounds daft, maybe bigheaded, but we know it would be pretty easy to sell-out at places like Chinnery’s now, but when we were most amazed was years ago, when no one had ever heard of us, we would play and the place would be banged out.

“I remember moments like that about playing at home, because people there go out on the principle of having a good night and listening to good music. I can’t stress enough how important moments like that are, to have that support. They are very real and inspiring.”

No Interruptions was one of the first songs written for this new album.

“This song provided us with a tone, musical flavour and a lyrical yardstick which all of the other tracks had to have in common.

The song is about defiance and retribution, emotions that were common in the studio at that time,” explained Rick Nunn, lead vocalist.

The album was produced by the Bees’ Paul Butler.

The Milk hit the Scala, in London on November 10. For information about tickets and other dates on the tour, visit thisisthemilk.com