The influence of four musicians from Dusseldorf can never be underestimated.

Kraftwerk have guided generations of artists towards electronic music, from David Bowie and Gary Numan right up to Brighton-based Mirrors today.

“When we started listening to Kraftwerk we wondered how they could make that sound in 1976,” says James “Noo” New, frontman for the four-piece, who have been causing a buzz not just in Brighton but across the country with the sound they describe as electronic soul.

“It was such a different world from what we did before. It was exciting, and something we wanted to be a part of.

“We want to find life in analogue synths, but keep contemporary elements in there too.”

James was originally part of Bexhill’s almost-weres Mumm-Ra, who secured the coveted opening spot for the 2007 Shockwaves NME Indie Rock Tour, but never translated it into record sales.

“Mumm-Ra was what I did with my best friends at school,” says James. “I have done a lot of growing up since then.”

Part of that shift was to move to Brighton, where he met a series of creative people, including Mirrors co-founder Ally Young.

In forming Mirrors James also brought in former Mumm-Ra guit- arist James “Tate” Arguile, and another mutual musical acquaintance, Josef Page.

“In this climate, where the music industry is on its a***, bands have to take responsibility for all the elements of what they do,” says James.

“The aesthetic of the band was what we first talked about, before we started making music.”

The result has been a suited image, with lots of emphasis put on Mirrors’ stark live show, based around four metal desks and a projector. Their Un Autre Monde nights in Brighton have combined live performance with creative artistic events.

“Bands have to use a little bit more imagination,” adds James. “We are getting back to what bands were doing 20 years ago, before Oasis came along. Bands like Hurts have got the image right, but not necessarily the music.

“We want to make the shows an event; hopefully they will grow into an evening worth of experiences.

“Last time we had a French theme, with audience members playing petanque with onions and garlic, and taking over the entire building.

“It was pretty amazing.”

The band’s distinctive synth-driven sound got them noticed by cult label Moshi Moshi, which released the song Into The Heart last year as part of its Singles Club. Other artists to get their first releases featured in the club have included Florence And The Machine, Kate Nash and Friendly Fires.

Mirrors are also set to support major influences OMD on a national tour next month. And they have been signed to the Brighton-based label Skint.

When James speaks to The Guide, the band are going through the mixes of their forthcoming album – due for release in January – and is giving the mix engineer something akin to a nervous breakdown.

“He’s on his eighth or ninth version, and he’s getting slightly fed up with us,” laughs James. “We have produced the album ourselves. It took a while before we realised that was what we were capable of doing. We had worked with [top producers] Richard X and Ed Bueller, but it never quite worked out.

“We are so intent on keeping it within the family – we didn’t want a producer to put their own stamp on it. In recent years so many records have started to sound very similar, and we want something that doesn’t fit into a little box.”

*7.30pm, £7. Call Resident 01273 606312 or Rounder Records 01273 325440