Maxïmo Park will be bringing their angular indie-rock to the Princess Pavilion in Falmouth in support of their sixth studio album, Risk to Exist, and singer Paul Smith told the Packet about the album's "groovier" direction, the band's support for an international refugee charity, and how a decade in music gave him confidence to write about whatever he likes.

"I think there's a bit more space on the record, it's a lot groovier than some of other other records. That was a conscious decision, we started off writing and being as free as we can with the writing process.

"There were a few songs that straight out where more groove based and funkier, we thought that was a good way to go about it."

The band spent three weeks in America recording the album, with less time on production but more time beforehand spent getting the songs just right.

"We rehearsed quite a lot," Paul said, "so we could capture the live energy of the band.

"The first song on the record was the first track we cut... within 40 minutes of going into the studio."

"We [also] had guest musicians, which is different. There's a brass section, and Mimi Parker from the band Low - who we love - sings on it as well. It brings more width to the tracks and the backing vocals."

He added: "It's 12 years since our first record and we're pretty confident about taking risks. We have built up enough know-how by now to control what we're doing."

As well as taking a new musical direction, the songs on Risk to Exist seem more overtly political and socially aware than previous records.

Paul said politics had always been "part of the band's genetic make-up," but had previously been "more buried" in the songs.

He said: "Again, it's confidence about being able to express yourself [whereas before] I felt more comfortable singing from a personal point of view.

"I think it's important not to tell people how to feel or how to think," he added, "It's important to let them come to their own conclusions. There are big words in there... and big themes like the migration crisis, and they are all tempered by a personal response to things, rather than just a slogan. This is my response to what's happening in the world."

He took the title track from a phrase that was "floating around" when the migrant crisis hit the national conscience in 2015 and 2016, and said: "It's the crux of the matter. Life is hard, but it's worthwhile... trying to get through things that are bad and to try and have good times."

Dealing as it does with some hard hitting issues, the band decided to donate the profit from their new single to the charity the Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) which saves the lives of refugees in the Mediterranean.

Paul said: "When we came to record the song it felt so explicitly about that, I thought 'we can't profit by singing about this, we could give the profits to the people who are doing something about this.'

"The MOAS people are just doing what they think is right and think that's a very incredible thing."

Early response to the songs has been great, he said, with people able to relate certain tracks to whatever cause is important to them.

The challenge the band faced, he added, was mixing a political record with enjoyable songs: "There are stories on the record that allude to what's going on in the world. Hopefully people can enjoy them in a way they can dance to."

Maxïmo Park perform at the Princess Pavilion on Wednesday, May 17, and tickets are on sale now from www.maximopark.com