The Mountain

Gorillaz — 2026

“A global meditation on grief that reconnects Gorillaz to their creative core.”

Gorillaz started as a joke that became something much bigger. Created by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett in 2001, the band was never meant to be real. It was a fictional group of four cartoon characters who fronted whatever music Albarn wanted to make. That concept gave him complete freedom to collaborate with anyone and move between styles without it feeling forced. Over eight albums and 25 years, they built one of the most varied catalogs in modern music, pulling from hip hop, punk, electronic, and beyond.

Their ninth album, The Mountain, arrives after both Albarn and Hewlett lost their fathers within days of each other, a coincidence that hangs over the entire record. Albarn traveled to India to scatter his dad’s ashes in the Ganges, and that experience shaped the album at its core. Recorded in Mumbai, New Delhi, Rajasthan, and Varanasi, the 15 track project explores loss, memory, and what might come after death. It quietly challenges the Western instinct to treat death strictly as an ending. This is their most focused and emotionally grounded release in years.

The Mountain pulls from many places but feels cohesive in a way recent Gorillaz albums have not. Indian classical music forms the backbone, with sitar player Anoushka Shankar appearing on five tracks and giving the album a clear identity. Alongside that are verses from Black Thought and Yasiin Bey, production from Bizarrap, bursts of energy from IDLES, and familiar Gorillaz indie pop.

“The God of Lying” blends Clash spirit with ghost story atmosphere. “Damascus” is the most immediate jolt, driven by Syrian vocalist Omar Souleyman. “Orange County” pairs sitar with bright pop textures while carrying one of the album’s heaviest lyrics. The sounds come from different worlds, but the themes of life, death, and connection hold everything together.

After Humanz, The Now Now, Song Machine: Season One – Strange Timez, and Cracker Island, many felt the group had drifted into playlist territory. Good songs, less cohesion. The Mountain returns to the structured, concept driven approach of Demon Days and Plastic Beach.

Where those albums reflected political anxiety and environmental collapse, this one centers on grief. Albarn incorporates archived vocals from Tony Allen, Bobby Womack, Dave Jolicoeur, Dennis Hopper, Proof, and Mark E. Smith. Their presence transforms the album from a typical guest heavy project into something more deliberate. It feels less like a collection of features and more like a conversation across time. That decision gives the record real emotional weight and makes it their strongest statement in years.

Gorillaz move across genres, but Massive Attack occupy similar territory with layered, emotionally heavy production built around guest voices. The quieter and more cinematic moments here echo that mood.

Radiohead listeners may connect with the introspective tone of songs like “The Sweet Prince” and “Casablanca.” Fans drawn to the Indian classical elements should explore Anoushka Shankar’s work. And the solo catalogs of Yasiin Bey and Black Thought mirror the intelligence and depth heard here.

“The Hardest Thing” and “Orange County” function as one piece. The former opens with Tony Allen’s voice and serves as a meditation on goodbye. It flows directly into “Orange County,” where Albarn’s simple chorus about loss sits inside bright, almost danceable production. The tension between grief and lift becomes one of the album’s defining moments.

“Delirium” stands out for the raw presence of Mark E. Smith, whose voice cuts through an otherwise reflective track. “Damascus” provides the most immediate energy, while “The Shadowy Light” features 91 year old Bollywood legend Asha Bhosle singing about a journey to the afterlife. It is unusual and surprisingly moving. “The Happy Dictator” feat. Sparks is a catchy pop satire where charm becomes the sharpest weapon in the room. Its upbeat Brit pop brings you back to Albarn’s Blur side.

Albarn keeps the writing direct. The line in “Orange County” about saying goodbye does not aim for cleverness. It works because it is honest. Kara Jackson, who co wrote the song, brings a poet’s sense of pacing and clarity to the words.

Across the album, the lyrics stay grounded even as the music expands. The idea that death may be a beginning runs throughout. Including the voices of collaborators who have passed becomes its own statement. Their presence suggests that art keeps people alive in a different way.

Not every moment on The Mountain hits with equal force. The middle stretch can blur slightly, and the 66 minute runtime demands attention. This is not background music. It asks to be heard from start to finish. It demands attention in a time when few albums receive it.

For listeners willing to commit, the payoff is clear. This is the most cohesive and emotionally resonant Gorillaz album since 2010’s Plastic Beach. Recording in India, centering Indian classical music, and honoring lost collaborators gives the project weight and purpose. As the band enters its 25th year and launches its own label, The Mountain feels like a reset and return rather than next up. It is a move that puts Gorillaz back on the map and a record that you should check out!