An indie supergroup comprising Stuart Braithwaite (Mogwai), Rachel Goswell (Slowdive), Justin Lockey (Editors) and his brother, James, Minor Victories make majestic music bathed in thundering drama and ghostly atmospherics. As they prepare to release their self-titled debut album, we grilled Braithwaite on the creation of this beautiful monster. So how did the project come about?

'Justin approached Rachel about doing some music together – Editors and Slowdive have the same manager,' he explains. 'I think Justin wanted to do something noisier and a bit more abstract. Once they started working on songs, she suggested me as another guitar player because we’d done a load of gigs together. Plus I can play guitar to Rachel’s standards.'

As the various members reside in different parts of the UK, they initially sent each other demos via email. Inspired by the results, they soon had enough material for an album.

'James came up to stay with us in Glasgow,' says Braithwaite, 'and that was the first time I’d met him. Rachel did all her vocals in her house, and I think Justin did everything in his garage. He’s a technical wizard, whereas if I record something in my house it sounds like it.'

According to the Mogwai front-man – a fan of Slowdive since he saw them live in Glasgow 25 years ago – vocalist Goswell cringes at the super-group tag: 'She can’t deal with it at all! I guess there’s an air of pomposity about it, but I’ve been called worse, put it that way.'

With some live dates in the pipeline, it’s possible that Minor Victories will record again together in future. 'As long as we don’t find out some terrible dark secrets about each other while on tour, I don’t see why not.'

Minor Victories is out now via Play it Again Sam.