A vacation's all Blur ever wanted and now that they've had one, the Britpop quartet is ready to make song three. Though Blur aren't even close to setting a release date for their follow-up to last year's Blur, the group's initial dalliance with recording new material will begin this month in Great Britain with perennial producer/remixer William Orbit. However, this collaboration should not be construed as a plunge into the next album, but more as an informal, "let's get acquainted" session.

Orbit, who's produced and remixed material for Madonna, Peter Gabriel and Seal, among others, did justice to Blur's "Movin' On" for the "M.O.R." CD-single and the Japanese-only double-disc, Bustin' + Dronin', which features remixes of nine Blur tunes on one CD and a live concert on the other.

As far as future touring goes, the troupe no longer wants to tour as extensively as they did in support of Blur. However, according to a source close to the band, it would "be very unlikely if the group [didn't tour again]."

BLAIR R. FISCHER