Blur are starting work on a new album.

The "Parklife" band will work on their first record since 2003's Think Tank - which didn't include guitarist Graham Coxon - after having to pull out of some dates in their current tour.

Speaking during a concert at Hong Kong's AsiaWorld-Expo on Sunday singer Damon Albarn said, "We were supposed to play in Taiwan and Japan next week, but due to unforeseen circumstances we weren't able to go there. So we have a week in Hong Kong, so we thought it would be a good time to try and record another record."

After touring Think Tank, Blur - which also includes bass player Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree - went on hiatus so its members could pursue other projects. They reunited in 2008 and started playing live in 2009. The band then released two tracks, "The Puritan" and "Under the Westway," last year.

Despite their continued touring Damon - who is also a member of Rocket Juice and the Moon, Gorillaz and The Good, The Bad and the Queen - has always been hesitant for them to make a new album: "There's a part of me that would love to be able to bring it into our 40s and our sort of family world. But does it belong in that world? That's the other side of it. Do any of us need that? And I have got so many more interesting things to do."