Gorillaz' Damon Albarn has said he hopes the band will release a new album before Christmas.

The singer and Blur frontman said he had been working on a follow-up to this year’s ‘Plastic Beach’ during the group’s US tour.

"I've been recording a new record on the road, which I'm going to try and put out before Christmas,” he said.

“It's a studio album made in hotel rooms across America.”

Albarn told NME that he had been recording the new songs on his iPad, adding: "I hope I'll be making the first record on an iPad — which is ironic, being the sort of technophobe and Luddite that I am.”

Gorillaz are set to kick off their UK tour in Manchester tonight (November 12).

(by Jason Gregory)