Pitchfork

Photo by Grumpy Man DJs

From close, to, well, closer: in fact, as Geoff Barrow of Portishead tells it, the band's third proper LP is just one day away from completion. Barrow, checking in on the band’s blog, says Portishead spent a few days in London finishing things up, but are back in Bristol making executive decisions regarding album art and plotting their return to the stage. "i think one more day messing about with it and it will be done," Barrow writes. "then into the wonderful world of mastering.. [joke]" He doesn't actually like mastering all that much, see.

Barrow then mentions that megaproducer Madlib will join the band at the ATP Nightmare Before Christmas event they're curating. He adds "im putting a footy team together for a little 6 a side comp for a laugh." Does that mean he's challenging Madlib to a soccer match? Ooh, we hope so!

The three-day Nightmare begins December 7 at Butlins Holiday Centre in Minehead, England.