The beat combined with the forward guitars and slowthai’s high energy is delightfully punk rock. “Desole” sounds like it could be straight off Demon Days, and “Momentary Bliss” is a certified banger that contains infectious hooks from slowthai and guitar from Slaves. The record closes with “Desole” and “Momentary Bliss”, sending it off in an awesome fashion. It sounds like an amateur SoundCloud beat that undesirably deviates from Gorillaz’s typical sound. However, “Dead Butterflies” utilizes the formula, with its looping piano, overpowering bass and snare, to a fault. They closely adhere to contemporary trap beats and vibes, but their artist features––from Octavian and Roxani Arias––make them more unique listens. Conversely, “Friday 13th” and “Dead Butterflies” are an interesting point in the record and perhaps the most typical “bangers” that you’ll hear on any Gorillaz album. Perhaps the hardest the album leans into the ’80s synthwave sound, “Aries” is a nostalgic romp that makes even someone born a decade late feel wistful and misty-eyed. Elton John comes builds on the lonely themes in his verse, crooning about trying “to get to Atlanta, on a peach blossom highway.” It opens with 2D’s somber vocals lamenting about broken relationships, with 6LACK’s vocals woven in between. It transitions into the much-awaited “The Pink Phantom”, which features none other than Elton John and 6LACK, an unlikely pairing that works out well. Vincent sing about indulging in various drugs and illicit substances. “Chalk Tablet Towers” is packed with lulled and woozy instrumentals while 2D and St. From the infectiously catchy beat building momentum to Schoolboy Q’s awesome verse to the lyrics describing Schoolboy and 2D being trapped within a video game, it is an incredible adventure. It is absolutely a Gorillaz song in all the best ways. Right on its heels is “Pac-Man”, one of the best tracks on the record by far. The track isn’t quite as exciting as other parts of the album, halting the momentum just a bit, but it is still ethereal and features wonderful instrumentation that makes it sound like it’s straight off Plastic Beach. “The Lost Chord” is one of the album’s first instances of the vaporwave and ’80s synthwave sounds present on the record. After hearing Humanz and The Now Now, it is utterly refreshing to hear the group doing something that sounds not only unique, but also like the Gorillaz who we all know and love. It’s lively, unique and absolutely quintessential of the Gorillaz sound. It features an energetic Beck indulging in a hedonistic satire with 2D that is very effectively communicated through the lyrics.

It’s not bad, but in the context of the whole album, it feels like an overstated intro that goes on for a little longer than needed.įollowing is “The Valley of The Pagans”. On one hand, the song is moody and sets those post-punk-esque tones however, it is probably one of the most skippable tunes on the album, unless you happen to be dropping the needle straight to the vinyl during your listen. The track is backed by the legendary Robert Smith of The Cure, whose influences are delightfully apparent throughout the rest of the album. The record starts with the topical track “Strange Timez” which, unlike the majority of the material, was recorded during the pandemic and reflects those themes. Read more: Album Review: boy pablo – Wachito Rico The project is entertaining, innovative and joyously good virtually all the way through.

This is greatly owed to the fact that, despite the single-oriented releases, the record as a whole is still cohesive, featuring some of the best and most unique material the group has dropped in a long time. This innovative take on the album release process is characteristic of Gorillaz yet still feels like an organic and holistic album experience. Instead of a traditional album release format, the album is essentially a collection of singles, as each song is accompanied by an “episode,” lyric video or both on YouTube. Gorillaz returns with what is perhaps their most ambitious project to date, Song Machine. Key tracks: “The Valley of the Pagans”, “Pac-Man”, “Momentary Bliss”

Ratings of all gorillaz albums