Blur announce new albumTitled The Ballad of Darren, the forthcoming album by perennial Britpop collective will be their first release in eight years.

The Ballad of Darren is the band’s ninth studio album, their first since the chart-topping The Magic Whip, released in 2015. The artwork of the new record features an image by British photographer Martin Parr. Ten tracks were produced by James Ford and recorded at Studio 13 in London and Devon. In the press statement, Damon Albarn stresses the social commentary element of the album: “This is an aftershock record, reflection and comment on where we find ourselves now.” One of the tracks, The Narcissist, is out today.

The Ballad of Darren by Blur is to be released on 21 July via Parlophone.

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