Connan Mockasin will be the first artist to release an album on Erol Alkan’s Phantasy label.

The blonde-barneted New Zealander, real name Connan Hosford, first appeared on the radar three years ago, when he and his band were known as Connan & The Mockasins; we liked their track ‘Sneaky Sneaky Dogfriend’ and even got them to play a FACT party on the strength of it. Good times. When the group split up, we feared we’d heard the last of their bowtie-loving frontman, but it seems Connan has been hard at work honing his shaggy guitar-pop craft – and now he’s back.

His debut solo album will appear sometime in 2010 on Phantasy, a label which has thus far been restricted to dancefloor-friendly singles from the likes of Fan Death and Boris Dlugosch, and several Late of The Pier-related projects – including Sam Eastgate’s LA Priest track ‘Engine’ and the band’s latest single, ‘Blueberry’. More details when we have them.

Furthermore, in the January 2010 issue of Dazed & Confused it’s revealed that Connan has formed a band with LOTP’s Sam Eastgate (AKA Samuel Dust) called Soft Hair. No news yet on whether we can expect recordings or live performances from the duo any time soon.

In the meantime, you can check out Connan’s music over at his myspace.