The Universal Want is the fifth studio album by British rock band Doves. The album was released by Heavenly Recordings and Virgin/EMI on 11 September 2020. The Universal Want is the band's first album following a hiatus that began in 2010; the band members pursued solo projects in the interim. Three digital singles preceded the album's release across mid-2020: "Carousels" in June, "Prisoners" in July, and "Cathedrals of the Mind" in August. The Universal Want garnered critical acclaim and was commercially successful, entering the UK Albums Chart at #1, becoming Doves' third album to achieve the top position. Background After touring and promotion of the band's previous album, Kingdom of Rust, and subsequent compilation album The Places Between: The Best of Doves in 2009 and 2010 respectively, Doves announced they would be taking an indefinite hiatus. Jimi Goodwin released his debut solo album, Odludek, in March 2014, while Jez and Andy Williams regrouped as Black Rivers and released a self-titled album in February 2015. In December 2018, Goodwin and the Williams brothers announced they would be reuniting as Doves and performing at the Royal Albert Hall in support for the Teenage Cancer Trust in March 2019. Following the warm reception to the performance and additional live gigs, rumours began to circulate regarding new material being written and recorded. On 18 June 2020, the band released "Carousels", their first new song in ten years. A month later on 9 July, the band announced the details of their new album and released the album's first proper single, "Prisoners". Recording Doves partly recorded the album at Frank Bough Sound III (a studio converted from a barn in Cheshire where they had recorded Kingdom of Rust), Big Red Studios in Macclesfield, EVE Studios in Stockport and Vada Studios in Alcester in England. The band co-produced the album with frequent collaborator Dan Austin, and it was mixed by Craig Silvey at London's Toast Studios and Dan Austin at SoundHorn Studios in southwest England. In an interview with independent music website At the Barrier, Andy Williams said there was a renewed focus and clarity in the studio after not recording together for as long as the band did; he added, "[There was also] an appreciation of what all three of us brought to the band originally. We enjoy each other's company. We missed writing together and we also gave each other more room. If someone wasn't