Yo, Sherlock! Benedict Cumberbatch performs spoken-word with Friendly Fires

Get an exclusive first listen here of "Flat of Angles" - a collaboration between the actor and the English band

Benedict Cumberbatch continues his global conquest, this time as an indie music star.

The Sherlock actor lends his voice to Late Night Tales, a compilation album created by Friendly Fires, and released next month, and exclusively premiered here, which includes tracks by Cocteau Twins and SBTRKT.

The band approached the actor and, a fan of their music, he agreed. "There's a mutual love there," I'm told. Cumberbatch performs the closer, a spoken-word piece, "Flat of Angles", by Simon Cleary.

"When I met him I accidentally called him 'Ben' in the confusion," says Cleary. "He was very friendly… and really got into subtleties in the text I didn't realise were there."

The story relates the aftermath of a house-party in alternating voices. And while he doesn't sing, there is a brief chance to hear "Ben" spitting Prodigy lyrics, rude-boy style, which is worth a listen.

Late Night Tales is out 5 November 2012, latenighttales.co.uk