Most of the time it will happen through someone I know like a manager or a label guy. It might be their project, or they might just be putting me in touch with the artist on behalf of them as they are a mutual contact. Sometimes though, it's just simply a 'cold call'. People look me up, find my manager, and contact me through that channel. I'll also get freak calls or emails through my website, but they usually don't work out.

When you start a new project, what's the first thing that happens when you walk into the studio?

I'm not one for setting up a specific plan ahead of time. I typically try to reiterate the overarching concepts I spoke with the artist about before that day - kind of a big picture thing. I'll play lots of broad references while we're sitting around, setting up, etc. There's a lot of passing of iPods back and forth and playing ideas for each other. I'll ask what they don't want to make and then work from there. It takes some time to get into the groove: first five days to a week is usually the settling in period. Realistically, more times then not, we'll be getting into recording drums and I'll be running around like a madman dealing with that as well.

What's one thing you can't live without in the studio? Music related or not.

Eesh. It's hard to say. A Juno 106? Maybe a Neve mic preamp into a Pultec EQ? Otherwise? A Gala apple everyday around 5 or 6PM.

How have iZotope products helped you in the studio?

Alloy has become my goto 'pumper-upper'. There seems to be an eternal quest for that one plug-in, that one saturator that will magically make things 'sound better'. I don't know if such a thing exists, but I'll tell you what-- Alloy seems pretty damn close a lot of the time.

Is there a type of artist you would like to work with but have yet to have the chance?

Of course! But again, I wouldn't know where to start. I'd really like to do a record with a straight up 'singer' - someone who has a strong, powerful, female voice, but also a creative point of view. There's too many Lily Allens in the world right now. The better singer you are the better off you are as a musician. An amazing voice is a unifying thing.

What about other producers, songwriters and/or artists? Who do you see as your inspirations?

Too many to say I guess. In the last year my MJ [Michael Jackson] obsession has grown into a bad place [laughs]... so I guess Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, Rod Temperton, Bruce Swedien, that whole team. Any album that leaves a legacy was made by a team and not just a single person. Like Thriller, they went out and got the best of the best to play and be part of every aspect of that album.

What's your favorite song on the album?

"PYT." It's the chords that I love – the harmonic structure of song. The song is done so well that the composition and the production are one in the same. The production is the composition and the composition is the production. They lock together.

When the record begins to dictate the direction of the creativity – that's when something special is going to happen.

What makes you want to listen to a song like "PYT" on repeat?

The rhythm track. If the drums are awesome (have a cool sound, or a cool part, or just generally feel awesome), I'm in. That aside, there is a certain tone and color that I seem to be drawn to, but can't articulate that easily. I love 'smooth' chord progressions over bombastic drums. I'm a slave to the rhythm and often geek out about snare drums - getting them to have brightness with low end punch but as little of the wiry sound as possible. When the drummer kicks the kick I don't want to hear the snare at all. I like trying to get drum machines sound like a real drum set and vice versa.

What makes you not want to listen to a song?

I'm not really attracted to flat stuff. 99% of the time, I honestly want to listen to something that will get me moving. I don't really identify with folksy music or classic rock. The guitar sounds - that rootsy Americana sound - just doesn't speak to me.

How about after projects are completed and released, do you listen to them and think about things you would change? Are there any overarching themes?

Not really. Recently I kind of listened to some stuff and was like, "Wow. This is awesome. I wish this band didn't break up." Another time I popped on a record that I SLAVED over and loved while doing it, and thought, "Jesus. This is so dark. It needs to be remixed." Luckily, that band also broke up. It's more about the fidelity or sonics - that's what I would change. I rarely listen to past projects and think about how I would have changed it creatively.

Do you think your process produces a distinctive "Chris Zane" sound?

It's definitely loud drums. That's a good 50% of what makes the "Chris Zane" sound. Song structure too– no over thinking. Bands tell me that I have a sound but I don't really hear it. I'll listen to albums that I've worked on and think they sound completely different but people will say that they can hear me in it. They will listen to something and know that I've had sometime to do with the production.

I want the bands I work with to hate each other. I want them to go "Oh, you're working with them?" and think about how different the two sounds are. I wish I could do my one thing and stick to it, but that's not who I am as a producer – from Passion Pit to The Walkmen to writing songs for Nelly Furtado– I'm all over the place.

Out of all the bands you have worked with, what was the most rewarding project to work on?

I mean, they were all incredibly rewarding in their own right, obviously. Tokyo are really fun people do be around and I had a great time with them. The Harlem Shakes made what I think might be one of the most underrated albums that I'll ever work on, and the Rakes gave me an opportunity to work in one of the most memorable studios in my life in Berlin. That said, the Passion Pit album was probably the tallest mountain to climb, and I think in some ways that made it the most rewarding when we got to the top.

Looking at the projects you worked on in 2009 alone, it seems like you haven't had much time to sleep. From Tokyo Police Club to Passion Pit to Harlem Shakes to The Rakes you've had your hands full. What does 2010 have in store?

2010 seems to be a sea change year for me. I was working so much and so fast in 2008-2009 that I had really no choice but to take some time off and slow things down thus far this year, which I am loving! That said, I can tell things are starting to pick up again and the insanity is a comin'. There are going to be some really interesting projects coming my way, and I'm very excited about some of them.

I'm finishing up some work with the band Holy Ghost! as well as working a lot with Michael Angelakos of Passion Pit. After I did Manners, Michael and I became pretty close. We're currently working in writing songs for other artists, and just had one confirmed for Nelly Furtado's new album.

At the beginning of this year I spent time regrouping, rebuilding my team, and reinvigorating myself. That's all coming to an end though and I'm excited to get my feet wet again.

What does Chris Zane do when he's not in the studio?

I try to contrast my time as much as possible. Therefore I keep it pretty laid back. I don't do much! I try to spend as much time as possible with my girlfriend, stroll around my neighborhood in Brooklyn, see all the friends that I usually can't, and go running as much as possible. It's quite an addiction for me. My studio and personal life are completely different and I try to keep them as separate as possible. Yes I've got a Pro Tools rig at home, but I don't use it.

For more information on Chris Zane, visit chris-zane.com