Mark Ronson hails new record as his 'best album'

Mark Ronson won a Brit award in 2008 for his second solo album, Version

British super-producer Mark Ronson thinks his third solo album is the "best thing" he's ever done.

The 34-year-old is releasing The Business later this year and is up against the likes of MGMT, The Strokes and Gorillaz, who are all releasing new material in 2010.

But Ronson reckons his new album will be as good as anything else on the market this year.

"I think it's the best thing I've ever done," he said. "I know Back To Black was a really seminal album and it's something that I'm really proud of.

"But I think you just grow with every record as a producer and this is the one.

"The performances and the people I've written songs with - from Jake from the Scissor Sisters, Jon from The Drums, Miike Snow, Dave from the Zutons - they're really some amazing songs.

"I just know it's good. That's all I can say. I do feel like I'd put it pound for pound against anyone else's record this year."

Ronson's last solo record, Version, went to number two in the album chart and featured artists like Amy Winehouse covering The Zutons' Valerie and Lily Allen doing her own version of Kaiser Chiefs' Oh My God.

On the new album, the producer and DJ says he sings on one of his own tracks for the first time.

He said: "I was recording Lady Gaga on that Wale song, Chillin, and we were in the studio working on the hook and I started singing.

"She goes, 'You should take singing lessons'. I was like, 'There's no point. I don't want to sing'.

"She goes, 'Well, take one lesson with this guy, Don Lawrence, my guy and if you don't like it, whatever'.

"So I started going in July and then I just went every week. It gave me a lot more respect for all the other singers I've ever worked with."