The recently reunited members of Blur announced their first album in twelve years this morning in an interview on BBC Radio, then promptly premiered their first single “Go Up” off of The Magic Whip due out April 28th this year.
The original four members of the 90’s Brit-pop band last created an album together in 1999 for 13, two years after their highly popular hit “Song 2” and their 2003 Think Tank largely without their guitarist. Dormant for the last decade in the studio, Blur reunited for festivals, while front-man Damon Albarn remained occupied with Gorillaz and his first solo album Everyday Robots.
The sessions for The Magic Whip started in a studio in Hong Kong some years back during a tour break with producer Stephen Street. Albarn was quoted as saying “it felt like the way we recorded when we first started doing stuff,” adding lyrics and vocals to the tracks guitarist Graham Coxon constructed with Street.
“There’s things that are obviously Blur,” Coxon added, “but [also] things that might not sound classically what people think.” Fans weren’t alone in their shock this morning, with Albarn explaining that he thought Blur had run its course.
The Magic Whip can be pre-ordered on iTunes and Amazon, the single available as an instant download upon purchase.
