We know Blur are releasing their eighth studio album -- and first in 12 years -- The Magic Whip on April 27. We also know Blur are playing Hyde Park in London in June, and that Damon Albarn is intent on playing more shows, possibly stateside.

And now, as the details surrounding the surprising record announcement continue to roll out, we just learned (thanks to NME) that The Magic Whip wasn't even finished and finalized until ... yesterday (Feb. 18)!

In an interview with BBC Radio 1's lame duck Zane Lowe, Albarn said the reason The Magic Whip was such a secretive project was because "we didn't have a record until yesterday."

"We finished mixing last Friday [Feb. 13] and we literally mastered it yesterday," he told Lowe.

In the same interview, Albarn talked about Blur's last album, Think Tank: "It's ... got some real stinkers on it -- there's some bollocks on there." But don't worry, he considers The Magic Whip a "proper Blur album," thanks in part to guitarist Graham Coxon's involvement.

If you want a taste of just how proper of an album The Magic Whip will be, check out its lead single, "Go Out," below:

The 100 Most Anticipated Albums of 2015

More From 94.3 WCYY