Spooky Action, Paul Draper’s long-awaited debut solo album, was released on 11 August 2017 through Kscope Records, marking his first full-length project since Mansun’s dissolution in 2003 and the band’s 2004 compilation Kleptomania. Conceived over more than ten years, the album originated from demos Draper recorded while collaborating with Skunk Anansie’s Skin on her 2006 album Fake Chemical State, many of which were archived and later revisited after his production work on The Anchoress’s critically acclaimed debut Confessions of a Romance Novelist in 2016. The 11-track record serves as a deeply personal autobiography, with lyrics addressing themes of betrayal, isolation, reinvention, and emotional turmoil stemming from the band’s acrimonious split, Draper’s cancer diagnosis in 2006, and his subsequent hiatus from music. Tracks like “Don’t Poke the Bear” (co-written with Catherine Anne Davies) explore voodoo-like psych-rock introspection, while “Things People Want” (co-written with Richard Ayre) incorporates glistening synthetic soul, and “Jealousy Is a Powerful Emotion” delivers widescreen analogue pop. The album’s sound fuses Draper’s signature melodic Britpop influences with progressive experimentation, electronic flourishes, and orchestral touches, drawing from his Mansun-era eclecticism.

Recorded primarily at Draper’s home studio, Draper handled production, performing guitars, keyboards, piano, synths, and vocals. The core rhythm section featured drummer Jon Barnett and bassist Ben Stack, both from The Anchoress sessions, with Davies contributing synthesizer on tracks 3, 4, and 11, piano on track 6, Vox Continental organ on tracks 6 and 8, and backing vocals on tracks 6, 10, and 11. Additional instrumentation included bongos by Andy Lyth on track 1, strings and cello by Gill Wood on tracks 1, 6, and 8, and extra guitar by Matt Davey on track 5. Mixing was completed by longtime Mansun collaborator Paul “PDub” Walton at The Loft, with engineering by Walton and Scott Knapper, additional engineering by Davies, assistance from Ben Sink, and mastering by Jon Astley. The album’s artwork and design were handled by Steve Stacey, with portrait photography by Anthony Gerace.

Commercially, Spooky Action debuted and peaked at No. 19 on the UK Albums Chart, spending one week in the top 40, and reached No. 3 on the UK Independent Albums Chart, No. 8 on the UK Physical Albums Chart, and No. 4 on the UK Vinyl Albums Chart. It received positive critical reception, earning a Metacritic score of 79/100, with praise from outlets like Uncut for its “impressive heft,” Mojo for its “strong synth tunes and beats, bristling with vocal angst,” and a five-star review from Louder Sound highlighting its songwriting strength akin to a debut drawn from a lifetime of material. The album was nominated for Album of the Year at the 2017 Progressive Music Awards. To support its release, Draper embarked on his first UK solo tour in September 2017, performing with a full band including Davies; a recording of his 21 September show at London’s Scala was later issued as the live album Live at Scala on 16 February 2018.