They conquered the dance charts for more than a decade, but there was a time when it all seemed set to crumble.

Now, with the release of a new compilation, the indomitable GROOVE ARMADA are ready to open a fresh chapter.  

For all intents and purposes, 2007 was a triumphant year for Groove Armada. The British dance duo, comprising Tom Findlay and Andy Cato, topped the charts with their latest long player, Soundboy Rock, and released the GA10 compilation, a celebratory retrospective of ten years in the business.

It may come as a surprise then that only two years before, Tom and Andy seriously considered knocking Groove Armada on the head – pulling the plug on the whole outfit.

“We were on a label called Zomba and I think we just got to a point where we had lost faith in them,” Tom tells AXN from London.

“So there wasn’t a lot of energy around, and it’s very depressing when your relationship has broken down to such a fundamental extent that your record label is not even getting your records into the shops. But record companies are like that – they can be very lovely and then suddenly you won’t hear from them for six months.

“So we got to the point where we were lacking a bit of love and began to think whether this had run its course.”

But Zomba then fell apart, perhaps ironically. Sony BMG came to the rescue. “They really felt we had another record in us,” Tom says. That record was Soundboy Rock, and in many ways it redefined the public’s perception of Groove Armada. It marked a notable departure from the multi-genre-influenced previous albums; one foot was squarely in the pop camp.

Then came the GA10 compilation. “It definitely feels like we’ve closed a chapter in our lives,” Tom says. “It’s a personal document, and that’s nice. Now we’re working on a new live sound and a new way of putting things across. And at some point we should probably write some new material!”

But the music industry is in a state of significant flux at the moment – gone are the days when artists could make a fortune from CD sales alone. As a result, Groove Armada are almost as well known for producing music that features in sundry advertising campaigns.

“It’s a time of extraordinary change in the music industry,” Tom says. “It’s increasingly difficult to make a living because not many people buy CDs any more. You’re left with very few income streams available and selling yourself to the corporate man has to be done.”

Nonetheless, Groove Armada are behind the latest Late Night Tales compilation. Running for over five years, the series grants the world’s best musical artists, including Fatboy Slim, Belle & Sebastian and Air, the opportunity to delve into their music collections and create the ultimate late-night soundtrack.

Tom and Andy treat us to a sublime selection of their personal favourites – tasty numbers from outfits such as Depeche Mode, Marvin Gaye and the Cure.

“One of the things I love about being involved in music is being able to share it,” Tom says. “Soul DJs and funk DJs were always famous for blacking out the text on their 45s so people couldn’t work out what they were playing. I’m kind of the opposite of that.”

So how does Tom balance his obligations as one half of Groove Armada with his obligations as a father and husband?

“It’s fairly weird but it kind of works,” he says. “It’s nice to spend your time thinking about someone other than yourself. There’s a part of the music industry that is very me, myself and I, and it’s not healthy to be constantly thinking that the most important thing is your career. I’m not so self-obsessed.” AXN

Late Night Tales by Groove Armada is out now via Stomp. For more information on Groove Armada, visit groovearmada.com or myspace.com/groovearmada.