The Rapture bassist quits the band

The Rapture have announced that bassist Mattie Safer has quit the band.

In a blog posting yesterday (July 14), the band revealed that the long-term bassist, who shared vocal duties with guitarist Luke Jenner, has decided to leave.

"We are sad to see him go but it seems it is the best for all of us," they wrote. The band did not give a reason for his departure or disclose if anyone will replace him.

In the same posting, keyboardist Gabriel Andruzzi said that since Safer's departure, they have been working on new material in their Brooklyn studio.

"Since then Luke, Vito and I have been on a creative tear. We’ve been working out of our little Brooklyn make shift studio, writing, demoing and jamming. I’m pretty damn excited to share the fruits of our labor with you. But its still gonna be a minute before we hit the studio for real."

He added that they intend to preview the new material live when they perform at Australia's Parklife Festival in September.

The Rapture's new album to be '100 times better than the iPad'

The Rapture have revealed that their new album will be "100 times better than the iPad".

Currently working on the follow-up to 2006's 'Pieces Of People We Love' in Paris, the New York band are hoping the album will be released in the summer.

"We're cruising through the process," Gabe Andruzzi told Pitchfork. "If everything goes well we'd love to have this album out by June or July".

Working with Phoenix producer Phillipe Zdar, Andruzzi also gave an insight on how the album is developing.

"Being in Paris makes the whole process seem kind of mysterious, a little magical," he explanied. "It's going to be a mystical, magical album. I tell him that "mystical, magical" reminds me of Steve Jobs introducing the iPad".

He added jokingly: "Our new album's gonna be fucking 100 times better than the iPad, with this record you're going to be interfacing with your soul in ways that have never happened before."

The Rapture announce new album and UK shows



The Rapture are set to release their comeback album 'In The Grace Of Your Love' on September 5 in the UK.

The album from the New York band will be their first studio LP since 2006's 'Pieces Of The People We Love' and will come out on September 6 in the US. The band have also announced two UK shows, set for the Manchester Academy on September 7 and London's XOYOon September 8.

The album features 11 songs and sees the band making a return to DFA Records, whose founders LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy and Tim Goldsworthy produced their 2003 record 'Echoes'.

The band teamed up with Phoenix producer Phillipe Zdar for the album, which keyboardist Gabriel Andruzzi previously said is "going to be fucking 100 times better than the iPad." It was recorded in Paris and Brooklyn.

The tracklisting of 'In The Grace Of Your Love' is:

'Sail Away'
'Miss You'
'Blue Bird'
'Come Back To Me'
'In the Grace of Your Love'
'Never Gonna Die Again'
'Roller Coaster'
'Children'
'Can You Find A Way?'
'How Deep Is Your Love?'
'It Takes Time To Be A Man'

Tickets for the UK shows go on sale at 9am (BST) on Friday (May 27).

The Rapture reveal first track from comeback album - audio

The Rapture have unveiled the first track from their forthcoming comeback album 'In The Grace Of Your Love' - scroll down and click below to hear it.

The song, titled 'How Deep Is Your Love?', is played on a turntable under disco lights in the clip, although the audio has more of a live feel.

'In The Grace Of Your Love' will be band's first LP since 2006's 'Pieces Of The People We Love' and is set to be released in the UK on September 5 and the US the following day (6).

The New York band teamed up with Phoenix producer Philippe Zdar to make the LP, which marks their return to DFA Records. The sessions took place in Paris and Brooklyn.

Keyboardist Gabriel Andruzzi has previously said the record is going to be "100 times better than the iPad".

The band are scheduled to play two UK shows in support of the release, at Manchester Academy on September 7 and London's XOYO the following night (8).

The Rapture's Luke Jenner: 'Family problems forced me to quit the band'

The Rapture's frontman Luke Jenner has said that he quit the band halfway through recording their latest album 'In The Grace Of Your Love'.

The stress of family problems led to his decision to leave, only to return three months later to complete the sessions with bandmates Vito Roccoforte and Gabriel Andruzzi.

The frontman told The Sun:


Roccoforte and Andruzzi continued working on the record in his absence, and took him back when he was ready to return.

Roccoforte said:


The album was released last month, and the band are coming to the UK for a tour starting in Bristol on October 27.