Do you remember The Avalanches? The Melbourne outfit rocketed to global stardom in 2000 off the back of their breakthrough single Frontier Psychiatrist and ensuing album Since I Left You (which reputedly featured more than 3,500 samples). Then things went quiet. Really quiet.

Late last year Steve ‘Pav’ Pavlovic of Modular – The Avalanches’ local label – made a promise to Triple J that their long awaited sophomore album would finally be delivered to him on Christmas Day. The holiday came and went and nothing eventuated… now, just to add further insult to the injury, their UK label XL Recordings have said there’s nothing on the horizon from the band at all.

Australian site Mess+Noise recently came across an item on Twisted Ear, where XL steadfastly deny The Avalanches have their album anywhere near completion. “Unfortunately, we have no new album on the schedule at all,” a label source said. “And it certainly won’t be as soon as July. It’ll be ready when it’s ready.”