Coldplay frontman Chris Martin has joked that their new album sounds like tango meets X Factor winner Matt Cardle.

The singer spoke about the album during a special appearance on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge this morning (December 17) to perform their festive single ‘Christmas Lights’.

Earlier this week, Martin said the follow-up to 2008’s ‘Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends’ was a concept record.

But appearing on the radio today he played down the comments, adding: “We don’t know what it is at the minute.”

When asked what it sounded like, Martin told presenter Fearne Cotton: “It’s like tango meets Matt Cardle, if you can imagine. You heard it here first.”

The band also said they didn’t know what the album would be called and claimed it was “not as bad as some people might expect”.

As previously reported on Gigwise, the band are due to play two intimate concerts in aid of the homeless charity Shelter in Liverpool on December 18 and Newcastle on December 20.

Coldplay - live