Richard Ashcroft has revealed that The Verve are set to explore their “heavier groove stuff” on their new album.

The band have been recording new material since they reformed earlier this year and say they hope to have a record finished in the new year.

Speaking to XFM Ashcroft said of the new songs: "Some of the new stuff sounded pretty 'wow' you know.

"I think we wanna revisit some of our heavier groove stuff and take that somewhere else you know. 

"So basically for the first few weeks we’ve just literally been plugging in and playing and playing and playing and then I think what well do is when we get back we’ll review a lot of it, zone in on the best stuff and try to get the overall concept of what its gonna be.

"But I think it might be time to do something pretty 'out there', and I think we’re all happy to do that, do you know what I mean? Hopefully we’ll finish it early next year, and put it out in May or June."

Ashcroft also revealed that the band are hoping ti headline Glastonbury next year, he said: "I think it would be a travesty if we didn’t.

"Because I think what’s missing from a lot of the headliners is we’re one of the few bands that can jam without sounding like Lynyrd Skynyrd on a bad night, so we can actually take people on a proper journey, rock n roll wise.

He added: "I think that’s what’s great. If you can do that on the big stage the big tunes can get 60,000 people singing, but you’ve also got the capacity to change a standard rock gig into something else.

“I suppose that’s what's been exciting about playing and we’ll be excited about playing then."