Damon Albarn Records New Gorillaz Album on iPad

Damon Albarn hopes to become the first person to record an album using an iPad. The prolific songwriter has been recording the new Gorillaz's album on the Apple device and hopes to have the follow-up to 'Plastic Beach' ready for release before Christmas.

Speaking of the new record Albarn told the NME, "I hope I'll be making the first record on an iPad. I fell in love with my iPad as soon as I got it, so I've made a completely different kind of record."

Written in "hotel rooms across America", the Gorillaz leader previously described the record as a "love letter to America". Elaborating on the American influence he said, "It sounds like an English voice that has been put through the vocoder of America. More American-sounding than Blur ... I'm going to try and put it out before Christmas."

As for his plans for next year Albarn was somewhat secretive, "I'm doing something next year about a subject that's really close to my heart. I'm not telling you what it is."

The mystery project could involve a trip to the Congo. In an interview with Australian magazine Rip It Up (via the Guardian), Gorillaz co-founder James Hewlett said, "Oxfam want us to go to Congo and see what's happening there and do a project based on that. I don't know what it is yet – -it will obviously be music and visuals – - but we'll have to experience it first and come back with an idea.

He added, "We're going with Oxfam, so they'll look after us –- hopefully we don't have our heads chopped off."

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