Gorillaz, the popular virtual band masterminded by multifaceted musical genius Damon Albarn and eclectic illustrator Jamie Hewlett recently released their latest (and arguably greatest) album, The Mountain. With one of the most vast and distinct discographies in recent music history, Gorillaz continues to surprise and delight fans and general audiences with experimental, genre-fusion projects that unify music fans from all different walks of life. Megahits like Feel Good Inc. and Clint Eastwood stand strong several decades later, showing the band’s incomparable staying power. Their early albums have aged like fine wine, with more and more of the public appreciating these projects over the years. They had a bit of a rocky period during the late 2010s and early 2020s, releasing polarizing albums like Humanz and Cracker Island which lacked the unique vision and counterculture themes of their early run. Of the two groups of albums, I’m thrilled to admit that in terms of quality and themes, The Mountain belongs to the earlier group.
For those who aren’t familiar with Gorillaz, the band, while created and performed by Albarn and Hewlett, is actually composed of animated characters. Murdoc, 2D, Russel, and Noodle make up Gorillaz. They star in the music videos, appear on promotional artwork, and even have layered stories of their own. With the release of this album, Jamie Hewlett decided to do something extraordinary, releasing a nearly nine minute fully hand-drawn short film featuring Gorillaz scaling the titular mountain to the music of the first three tracks off the album. The amount of dedication and passion behind something so deeply human made just brings me such pride and appreciation for what real artists can still accomplish in the age of AI. It goes without saying that the short film is incredibly well made, with gorgeous backgrounds, endearing character animation, and insurmountable artistry in every corner. Go watch it!
This album, however, hinges less on the animated characters’ stories and more on a deeply personal story that both Albarn and Hewlett wanted to tell. The co-creators both lost their fathers in 2024 within the same few weeks. On a somber and spiritual trip to India, the two men found some peace within their grief. This album draws a significant amount of inspiration from classical Indian influences without ever feeling disingenuous or performative. The ethereal sounds used to parallel feelings of helplessness in grief can only be portrayed by Indian instrumentation. Going along with the themes of spirituality in times of grief, The Mountain features many posthumous artists who had previously worked with Gorillaz. As you listen to the first few tracks, the veil between life and death begins to thin. Parts of this album are transcendent in ways I rarely experience with music. “Orange County” is a gorgeous ode to the ones we’ve lost. It poses the question: how can we move on when someone so important to us is no longer here? It manages to make you cry with the biggest smile on your face. That’s what this album does best: bring out the duality of emotions in grief.
Other tracks like “Delirium” and “Damascus” are much more upbeat, dramatic songs that stray further away from themes of grief, and more towards Gorillaz’ anti-war and political critiques we know and love. They’re equal parts fury and exhilaration. The type of music that makes you want to go stand up for what you believe in. Gorillaz knocks it out of the park with these big production hip hop/electronic fusions.
The Mountain brought me back to Gorillaz with one hundred times more admiration. It’s the pinnacle of their emotional storytelling, distinct production blending world music with accessible rock/hip hop, and it comes with a wonderful tie-in movie. Albarn, Hewlett, and all their collaborators really made this release feel like an event, and this is an album that I think people will be talking about for years to come. I for one am going to relisten to it right now!