The Avalanches have promised their label that their new record will be ready by Christmas. This year.

In an interview with Triple J this week, Modular Records boss Steve Pav told listeners that he had been given a solid commitment by the band.

"After many, many moons and several years that have passed by and several promises of getting a new album I've been assured that on Christmas Day they're going to deliver their new album to my little grotty hands," Pav said.

The band's MySpace also reports that the band is "putting the finishing touches on album 2!!!!!!!!!".

Since I Left You, their stunning debut, was released in 2000. It has cemented itself in lists of Australian classic records.

Follow-up blues have held off the next set for eight years, as the band struggled to find a collection of songs that held together like that seamless record.

Pav suggested that a few albums have been scrapped in that period.

"I think they some ideas about doing different kind of things and maybe taking a different direction and at some point along the way they just went well, who are we fooling. Let's just make an Avalanches record."

No solid date
yet for next year's release, but after this long, what's a few months?