Newton Faulkner starts writing his third record

Newton Faulkner covered Pixie Lott's Mama Do in Radio 1's Live Lounge

Surrey-born singer/songwriter Newton Faulkner says he's started to write music for his third album.

The 24-year-old from Reigate has been penning songs while out on the road supporting second record, Rebuilt by Humans, which was released on 28 September.

He says he didn't write while playing live after his debut, 2007's Hand Built by Robots, but doesn't have to concentrate so much on performing now.

"When I first started properly touring, I couldn't do anything else but tour," he admitted.

"Now I find I can keep an eye on all kinds of stuff and I can write as well just because the extra touring bit, I know well enough now.

"I know exactly what I need to do. I know what I can and can't do. I know exactly how much I can drink without messing things up. I know my limits."

Broken bones

It hasn't been an easy year for Newton Faulkner. In December 2008 he slipped on some ice while on a skiing holiday and fractured a bone in his right wrist.

He had been due to start recording his second album the day after getting back but instead had to have a metal plate inserted in his hand and went through weeks of rehab.

The singer, who had a hit with Dream Catch Me, says the accident did change the style of music and the way he played on Rebuilt By Humans.

"I had to change my writing technique for a little bit, which I think is good," he said.

"Doing the first album I learnt how to record and I learnt how to play because I wasn't very good before that.

"This time I've learnt how to chuck around production ideas, so the next one, hopefully I'll get the best of both worlds."

Faulkner finished a tour of the UK last month but will be playing another 11 gigs around the country next year starting in Edinburgh on 3 March.

He says he now makes sure he writes songs that will come across well when he's alone on stage.

"That kind of came later," he said. "Now I've really got into it. I'm really enjoying the challenge.

"I went into rehearsal rooms on my own, sat there with speakers pointing straight at me and just sat there making a really loud noise for hours on end.

"I had two laptops either side of me for programming stuff and I was finding sounds on one while one was running off audio for other stuff. It was fun."