The Magic Whip  by Blur

The Magic Whip is the eighth studio album by Blur, released in April 2015 by Parlophone. It marked their first recording work after a 12-year hiatus and the first with the full original lineup of the band since 1999. The production was undertaken by their frequent collaborator Stephen Street, along with Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon.

The album's style ranges between alternative rock, art rock, and indie rock, combining Blur’s classic Britpop aesthetic with experimental electronic elements. Recording began spontaneously in Hong Kong in 2013, following the cancellation of a festival in Japan, something that strongly influenced the atmosphere of the album. The Magic Whip refers to a Chinese brand of fireworks, but also to the "magical" effect of an ice cream, symbolizing the contrast between joy and control. The cover features a neon ice cream cone with the title and the band's name written in Chinese (!)

The Magic Whip debuted at No.1 on the UK charts and went gold in the United Kingdom with sales exceeding 100,000 copies. The album was in the Top-10 in many European countries.