Gorillaz – The Mountain – Album Review

It’s a new release from Gorillaz, and surprisingly, it’s their 9th to date, their first since Cracker Island in 2023. A quick scan of the song list shows something quite unusual, with the sheer number of collaborations on this release. Every track features a new collection of musicians. The names that jump off the list include IDLES, Sparks, Johnny Marr, Bobby Womack and Gruff Rhys, but many of the lesser-known names add something different to their tracks.

With even a cursory listen to the album, it’s clear that this is no typical Gorillaz album, with the theme of death evident on many of the tracks. Damon sings “You know the hardest thing is to say goodbye to someone you love” on the track ‘The Hardest Thing’. It’s a lilting refrain that becomes more poignant when you know that both Damon and Jamie Hewlett lost their fathers within days of each other, in 2024. This album feels like an expression of love and loss.

“And when the curtains rise and the party begins
Do you laugh?
Do you break down inside
Wondering how
How you got to the afterlife?” – The Hardest Thing

Opening track, The Mountain features several Indian musicians, with Ajay Prasanna, Anoushka Shankar, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash giving it an unorthodox mix of instruments. The sitar contributions of Anoushka Shankar give this an Indian vibe, along with Ajay Prasanna on the Bansuri (Indian bamboo flute). It is largely an instrumental piece, but it briefly features Dennis Hopper towards the end. The next track, The Moon Cave, gives us a more familiar sound, with a pumping backing track and funky bassline, with Damon Albarn’s vocals overlaid. The track meanders between sound and ideas, with Jalen Ngonda rapping towards the end.

The God of Lying (featuring Idles) is a highlight, with the unnerving lyrics –

“I went to the liquor store and they took all my money
I stared into the mirror there and begged a man to love me”

The Happy Dictator featuring Sparks is possibly too upbeat for its own good, with its chirping synth sounds. Argentine rapper Trueno features on The Manifesto, rapping over bongo drums and a wall of synths. It’s lush and vibrant.

Damascus (feat. Omar Souleyman and Yasiin Bey) is another song that doesn’t have the quality of those around it, but the next track, the sing-along The Shadowy Light, brings us back to its best, with 92-year-old Indian singer Asha Bhosle featuring heavily.  Casablanca is a gentle feel-good moment, despite the presence of rock gods Paul Simonon (The Clash) and Johnny Marr. The Sweet Prince tells us –

“There are scars that will never heal
So why pretend they’ve gone away”

Final track, The Sad God features American rapper Black Thought, before Damon gives a gentle chorus, along with a distant child choir. Some of the lines are quite poignant, especially when in relation to a sick relative.

“I gave you blue skies
Sweet fallacy
I gave you poppies
for malady
I gave you white cells
You weaponised
I gave you garlands
You closed your eyes”

The album moves through continents, with many songs evolving over their duration, changing significantly. Sections of the album were recorded in various parts of India, along with London, Ashgabat, Damascus, Los Angeles, Miami and New York. Not that it couldn’t have been done in one location, but you can hear the different sounds and instruments clashing and combining. It’s a surprisingly ambitious affair from Damon and his various collaborators, reminiscent of the Avalanches, The Specials and many more. The worry is that it feels more like a mix tape than one cohesive album, but somehow it’s all held together. There are moments where it doesn’t quite work, but that’s always the case when you take risks, and there’s much to enjoy.  It’s worthy of your attention and more inventive than expected. It’s a fascinating exploration of death and what lies beyond, through the unlikely medium of pop music.

Track List: 

1. Gorillaz – The Mountain (feat. Dennis Hopper, Ajay Prasanna, Anoushka Shankar, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash) 04:51
2. Gorillaz – The Moon Cave (feat. Asha Puthli, Bobby Womack, Dave Jolicoeur, Jalen Ngonda and Black Thought) 04:58
3. Gorillaz – The Happy Dictator (feat. Sparks) 04:45
4. Gorillaz – The Hardest Thing (feat. Tony Allen) 02:18
5. Gorillaz – Orange County (feat. Bizarrap, Kara Jackson and Anoushka Shankar) 03:29
6. Gorillaz – The God of Lying (feat. IDLES) 03:09
7. Gorillaz – The Empty Dream Machine (feat. Black Thought, Johnny Marr and Anoushka Shankar) 05:41
8. Gorillaz – The Manifesto (feat. Trueno and Proof) 07:19
9. Gorillaz – The Plastic Guru (feat. Johnny Marr and Anoushka Shankar) 03:15
10. Gorillaz – Delirium (feat. Mark E. Smith) 03:52
11. Gorillaz – Damascus (feat. Omar Souleyman and Yasiin Bey) 04:04
12. Gorillaz – The Shadowy Light (feat. Asha Bhosle, Gruff Rhys, Ajay Prasanna, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash) 05:39
13. Gorillaz – Casablanca (feat. Paul Simonon and Johnny Marr) 03:46
14. Gorillaz – The Sweet Prince (feat. Ajay Prasanna, Johnny Marr and Anoushka Shankar) 04:34
15. Gorillaz – The Sad God (feat. Black Thought, Ajay Prasanna and Anoushka Shankar) 04:49