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SCMP Reporter

Britpop legends Blur revealed on Thursday that they are releasing their first album in 12 years which includes material recorded during their stint in Hong Kong back in May 2013.
The band chose a Chinese restaurant in London as the venue for the announcement where they revealed the album would be named The Magic Whip, and will be released on April 27.
The album cover shows a neon ice-cream cone with Chinese characters on either side and was inspired by the band's trip to Hong Kong.
#TheMagicWhip pic.twitter.com/7cgD1hd5y0
— blur (@blurofficial) February 19, 2015
The announcement comes some 20 months after Blur played a gig in Hong Kong and got the city’s fans hot under the collective collar by proclaiming that they planned to “try to record another record” while on their week-long stay.
After more than a year of silence, however, frontman Damon Albarn disappointed those hoping for an eighth Blur album with an Asian twist.

Watch the video for Blur's new single, Go Out
He told UK music magazine NME in July last year that while music for some 15 songs had been written, they were unlikely to ever see the light of day.
“The annoying thing is, if I’d been able to write the lyrics there and then about being there, we’d have finished the record,” he told the music paper. “But sometimes if you can’t do it all at once, it dissipates really and I don’t know what I’d sing about now with that record."
Blaming the weather for the band's failure to complete the songs, he added: “There was too much commuting between where we were staying and where we were recording and it was a bit too hot. I think that’s why we didn’t get it finished."
But at the London press conference the foursome revealed that they had later listened to their recordings and realised they could be crafted into an album.
#GoOut is one of 12 new songs featured on #TheMagicWhip Pre-order the album now and get the track instantly! pic.twitter.com/YuF76fdeb2
— blur (@blurofficial) February 19, 2015
It is not known which Hong Kong studio the recordings were made in, but Albarn said it "wasn't a flash studio, it was pretty claustrophobic and hot". He said the band had "knocked around loads of ideas", adding: "I just thought it hadn't happened. It was fun, it was a nice way to pass a few days, but nothing really concrete had come out of it."
Following their Hong Kong gig back in May 2013 pictures of the band went viral when they shunned luxury private transport in favour of taking the MTR back to their hotel, alongside the delighted fans who had earlier been singing along to hits including Parklife, Song 2 and Tender.

The concert was supposedly part of what Damon Albarn had earlier claimed was the band's farewell tour. He told 48 Hours magazine ahead of the show that the gigs would be Blur's last ever - but admitted he had "said that many times before".
The band originally called it a day in 2003 when Albarn and guitarist Graham Coxon fell out over how the band should develop. Coxon quit the band and left the frontman, drummer Dave Rowntree and bassist Alex James to finish recording their last LP, Think Tank.
But a jubilant 2009 comeback show at Glastonbury, a sell-out Hyde Park gig and the release of two singles kept fans hoping that an eighth album wasn't out of the question.


Blur announce first album in 12 years after recording material in Hong Kong

Blur released their last album, Think Tank, in 2003.

Blur released their last album, Think Tank, in 2003

Damon Albarn on the MTR after Blur's Hong Kong gig in 2013. Photo: Marian Joy Hernandez

Blur announce first album in 12 years after recording material in Hong Kong

British band recorded material in Hong Kong during 2013 tour