The band's mainmen Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett are set to start recording sessions on their third album in March.

The pair confirmed work on the follow-up to 2005's 'Demon Days' would begin in earnest with a collaboration in Syria.

'I'm going to Syria because I've got a real fascination with Arabic orchestral music,' explained the frontman. 'We're going at the end of March for Gorillaz.'