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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.

--By our Los Angeles staff.
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Date/Time	Venue	Town/City	Seetickets	Viagogo
May 01, 2012 19:00	O2 Academy Oxford	Oxford	Tickets not currently available.	Buy The Rapture Tickets from £38
May 01, 2012 19:30	O2 Academy Oxford	Oxford	Buy The Rapture Tickets from £15	Buy The Rapture Tickets
May 02, 2012 19:00	O2 Shepherds Bush Empire	Rlondon	Buy The Rapture Tickets from £16	Buy The Rapture Tickets from £19