Gorillaz, the virtual band created by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett, has released their ninth studio album, 'The Mountain.' The album draws inspiration from the Hindu concept of Samsara, focusing on themes of birth, death, and rebirth, and explores mortality, spirituality, and cultural interconnection through a narrative set in India.
Album Concept and Inspiration
'The Mountain' centers around a narrative where the band's animated avatars—2D, Murdoc, Noodle, and Russell—undertake a "transcendental trek" up a titular mountain in Mumbai, immersed in mystical music-making. This story is complemented by an accompanying hand-drawn short film, created by Jamie Hewlett.
Damon Albarn indicated the album, comprising 15 tracks, is intended to be listened to sequentially from beginning to end, with accompanying artwork, to fully experience its narrative journey. The album is the first released under Gorillaz's own Kong record label.
The album's thematic focus on loss and grief was influenced by personal events experienced by the creators. Hewlett's mother-in-law passed away in 2023, followed approximately a year later by the deaths of both Hewlett's and Albarn's fathers within ten days of each other. Albarn scattered his father's ashes in the Ganges River, linking the album's themes to Hindu culture and music, which his father admired. Hewlett noted that the album's visuals derive from observations in India.
Production and Recording
The creation of 'The Mountain' involved recording sessions in various international locations, including Mumbai, New Delhi, Rajasthan, Varanasi, the United Kingdom, the United States, Syria, and Turkmenistan.
Albarn and Hewlett described the album's creation as a creative renewal and an adventurous experience, aiming for the project to encourage listeners to discover more about cultural interconnection and the world's diversity.
Musical Collaborations
'The Mountain' features a diverse array of guest artists, blending Gorillaz's genre-bending style with traditional Indian music and other global influences.
Posthumous Contributions(from archival studio sessions spanning Gorillaz's 25-year career):
- Dennis Hopper (who previously appeared on 2005's 'Demon Days')
- Bobby Womack
- Dave 'Trugoy The Dove' Jolilcoeur of De La Soul
- Mark E. Smith of The Fall
- Proof of D12
- Bansuri flautist Ajay Prasanna
- Sitarist Anoushka Shankar
- Sarod players Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash
- Tabla percussionist Viraj Acharya
- Indian disco artist Asha Puthli
- Bollywood singer Asha Bhosle, who sings in Hindi on the track "The Shadowy Light."
- Argentine rapper Trueno
- Black Thought from The Roots
- Syrian singer Omar Souleyman (featured on "Damascus")
- Yasiin Bey (formerly Mos Def, also featured on "Damascus")
- Joe Talbot of Idles (featured on "The God Of Lying")
- Johnny Marr (ex-The Smiths guitarist, featured on tracks including "The Plastic Guru")
- Art-pop duo Sparks (featured on "The Happy Dictator")
- Afrobeat pioneer Tony Allen (featured on "The Hardest Thing")
Themes and Broader Message
The album explores profound questions about mortality, the afterlife, and spirituality. Songs such as "The Sweet Prince" were written by Albarn after his father's death, addressing themes of personal loss and transition.
Beyond personal experiences, the album incorporates social commentary, with tracks like "The God Of Lying" and "The Plastic Guru" addressing false prophets, and "The Happy Dictator" offering political critique.
Albarn stated that the album aims to help people discover more about the world and emphasizes the importance of interconnection and understanding other cultures in the modern age.
The album's cover art depicts the Gorillaz avatars at a mountain peak.