Red Hot Chili Peppers are to release 18 new songs.

The Under the Bridge rockers are scheduled to bring out the tracks – which were recorded during sessions for their most recent album I'm With You - over the next six months, with each one available both digitally and on two-song seven-inch vinyl singles.

The group's guitarist Josh Klinghoffer said:  "Finding songs that seem to want to join hands with others is a special task that require the right people... and the right songs!

"Some songs seem to have a lot more of an agenda than others. Some songs play well with others and some songs need more attention and a little extra care. Here are some songs that seemed to want to pair up and take a later train. Keep your eye on them, they're up to something."

They will kick off the releases on 14 August with tracks called Strange Man and Long Progression. The second set of tracks, Magpies and Victorian Machinery will be released on 11 September, with Never is a Long Time and Love of Your Life following on 2 October.

Other releases, with titles not yet confirmed, are then scheduled for 6 November, 4 December and 18 December, with the final songs scheduled for release in early 2013.

Each vinyl release will feature cover artwork by Kelsey Brookes, and fans will be able to collect and combine each cover to create a larger piece of art.