O.Children [L-R]: Gauthier, Harry, Andi and Tobi

Music is the product of its environment.

That certainly makes sense when east London band O.Children begin explaining where they spend their moon-lit nights writing songs.

"We go to this place called the Vatican which is quite cheap and cheerful - it's not really advertised it's just under railway bridges so the rooms are like arches," says drummer Andi. "There's a train passing over the top every five minutes."

A place of haunted, ghostly atmosphere, chattering walls and dark energies then.

"Well, yeah, the lights don't work if that's what you mean," he smiles. "This guy called Oscar runs it and he's quite a character.

"He's just screaming, running around shouting at people then he disappears for a few months," adds lead singer Tobi.

O.Children, the facts   WHAT:London noir pop foursome   FOR FANS OF:White Lies, Sonic Youth, The Horrors, Nick Cave   DOWNLOAD:Dead Disco Dancer   CLICK ON: www.myspace.com/ochildren   LIVE: Playing UK shows throughout the autumn

They paint their surroundings in just the kind of grim light you'd expect their music to be made in, a cobwebbed den of grubby equipment and sinister vibes.

Young band

So far O.Children have experienced a short life, together now for little over a year.

They are towering - think Peter Crouch meets Maxim - frontman Tobi O'Kandi, guitarist Gauthier Ajarrista, bassist Harry James and drummer Andi Sleath.

And this isn't their first attempt to break out; Tobi and Andi were formerly part of London provocative noise troop Bono Must Die.

"It became not fun anymore," says Andi of their previous project.

Tobi steps in: "Basically, there's only so far you can go when you're wishing death on one of the world's biggest icons. So we kind of hit a brick wall and decided to call it a day put our hands up and admit defeat.

"We learnt first and foremost get good management.

Following their limited success, Bono Must Die passed on and Gauthier and Harry joined forces.

O.Children, named after a Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds song, was devised and the first official product of is debut single Dead Disco Dancer.

"It's an introduction to us, our world and what we do," says Tobi citing Lee Hazelwood, Sonic Youth and the aforementioned Cave as huge influences on their pop-noir.

We learnt first and foremost get good management, secondly don't ever get ripped off and thirdly be able to play your instruments Tobi, O.Children

"Basically what we're trying to do is be timeless and that's exactly what he is. He's evolved himself many different ways but they all seem to work which is really hard to do given his sort of music."

However, don't go thinking everything O.Children do is doom and gloom.

"I don't wake up in floods of tears and then go home again and cry some more," says Tobi wryly. "Sure, there's a dark element to it but I'm not that depressed."

Instead, O.Chidren are just happy to be noticed.

"Not to force anything down anyone's throats," says Tobi when quizzed on the band's plans going forward. "To just play and be appreciated."