Richard Ashcroft's United Nations of Sound Make On-Air Debut

'Are You Ready' -- the new single by former Verve singer Richard Ashcroft and his United Nations of Sound project -- received its on-air debut when it was played by BBC Radio 1's Zane Lowe on Monday night (Jan. 18).

Produced by No I.D., the single blends Ashcroft's trademark classic rock sound and lyrical concerns of positivity with smoother dance beats. Hardly surprising, given the producer's previous work with Jay-Z and Kanye West, though the single does mark something of a slight stylistic departure for both Ashcroft and No I.D.

'Are You Ready' is the first single to be lifted from Ashcroft's new solo album, 'Redemption', which has been given a release date of Mar. 29.

The track is Ashcroft's first public venture since the Verve's third acrimonious split in August 2009. The Verve released their last album, 'Forth', in 2007 but despite the success of the album and the subsequent tour to promote it, relationships within the band soon deteriorated to the degree that a parting of the ways was inevitable.

Ashcroft's erstwhile band mates - guitarist Nick McCabe and bassist Simon Jones - have formed a new group in the shape of the Black Ships, though no word is forthcoming as to when any new material from them might see the light of day.