Ben Lee is bright-eyed and happily imparting lectures on the nature of femininity. It’s all the more impressive given that it’s just 9am, which is early by any musician’s standards. “I guess it’s important not just to associate it with women,” he explains. “For most people of our generation, between twenty or thirty, the last few years have really been those of becoming a bit more socially aware. Five or ten years ago, we would have thought – œWhat’s the point?’ – our voice was never going to be heard.”

Lee, disciple of the perfect pop song, has definitely been beefing up his influence of late – with visits to Arnhem Land, involvement in global warming campaigns and lending his voice to a range of charities. “It kind of struck me that these aren’t all separate problems, but they all stem from the same issue; we’ve lost touch with our innately compassionate characteristics.” Well, if Justin Timberlake brought sexy back, Ben Lee is bring femininity back, going full throttle on his latest album The Rebirth Of Venus, to be released early next year.

Advanced copies of the record have come with a warm letter from folk singer Holly Throsby to Lee, in lieu of a press release. This was part of Ben’s plan to get rid of what he calls the “money and materialism” side of the industry, by having his good friend write her feelings about the songs and then use that as PR. The only problem, as I remind Ben, is that the letter is postmarked for 2009. “I guess she forward dated it for tax reasons,” he laughs. “You wouldn’t want to leave a paper trail!”

Speaking of paper trails, Ben’s avoiding creating one for his new label Dew Process (home to The Grates and The Panics among others), by returning to the – œchoir-in-the-bedroom’ aesthetic that characterised the wildly successful Awake Is The New Sleep. “I guess with Ripe, I indulged myself in creating the kind of record that I would hear on the radio growing up – that sort of slick, – œfuck-off’, guitar-pop album. But since my shows are usually having everybody getting into it and singing along…I think I just wanted to get back to a bit of that chaos.”

“Every artist you talk to will say the same thing,” muses Lee. “They’re always reacting against their last album.” Accordingly, Ben’s got his step-daughter recording melodic lines on GarageBand in his kitchen, “throwing in everything but the kitchen sink.” As Lee remarks, Rebirth Of Venus differs most remarkably in that he’s a family man now – adopted step-father of Kate and soon-to-be-husband of LA royalty, Ione Skye. For the record, you’ve probably seen her featuring in Anthony Kiedis’ tell-all biography Scar Tissue. Scrap that image, though, because she and Ben are soon to be married in India. “That whole going to bed and ten, waking up at six kind of deal really centres you,” he explains. “I didn’t realise how ready I was for this. Having a step-daughter is not what anybody plans for, but it’s the best thing that’s happened to me.”

But before he goes riding elephants or doing whatever other bizarre stuff his guru has planned for his big day, Ben’s released the tongue-in-cheek single I Love Pop Music. Playing with his much-loved style, he couches scathing political commentary within the bounds of the ultimate pop song, and the results are not what you’d expect. “I’m not going to come out and write Beds Are Burning. I have to include humour in my music, especially if it’s going to be political.”

I Love Pop Music is out now on Dew Process through Universal.