Gorillaz's 'The Mountain': A Late-Career Masterpiece Blending Indian Sounds and Ghostly Voices
Twenty-five years have passed since Gorillaz released their self-titled debut album, a project that began as a Britpop star's playful experiment and has evolved into a lasting cultural phenomenon. Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett's concept of a "virtual group" once seemed like a snarky jab at manufactured pop, but today, it feels remarkably prescient in a world where cartoon K-pop bands and AI-generated singers dominate the charts. With nine albums and nearly 100 guest artists spanning from Carly Simon to Bad Bunny, Gorillaz's sprawling oeuvre has become a thread weaving together eclectic musical worlds.
From Playlist to Cohesive Album: The Evolution of Gorillaz
Managing such a diverse array of contributors has always posed a challenge, even for the undeniably talented Damon Albarn. Gorillaz albums are often lengthy and of variable quality, making them tricky to navigate. The band's strongest works, like Demon Days and Plastic Beach, succeed by anchoring themselves in a unified concept. The Mountain follows this tradition, drawing inspiration from a visit to India and the profound losses of Albarn and Hewlett's fathers, creating a late-career peak that feels both haunted and vibrant.
Indian Influences and Posthumous Collaborations
The album's sound is deeply shaped by Indian music, featuring artists like playback singer Asha Bhosle, space-disco diva Asha Puthli, and sitarist Anoushka Shankar. Instruments such as the sitar, tambura, and bansuri weave through tracks like The Plastic Guru and the opening title track, adding a rich, melodic layer. Simultaneously, The Mountain incorporates voices from beyond the grave, with Albarn revisiting recordings of late collaborators including Dennis Hopper, Bobby Womack, Mark E Smith, and rappers Proof and Trugoy. These posthumous contributions are not eerie or mournful; instead, they burst with commanding energy, as heard in Proof's verse on The Manifesto or Smith's snarling presence on Delirium.
Unexpected Upbeat Mood and Thematic Depth
While loss and grief might suggest a melancholic tone, The Mountain surprises with an overall upbeat mood. Tracks like The Moon Cave blend post-disco boogie with cinematic strings, and Bhosle's vocals soar joyfully over tinny synths in The Shadowy Light. The album occasionally struggles to balance positivity, as in Orange County, where a crestfallen vocal clashes with a perky whistle, but more often, it masterfully weighs light and shade. The God of Lying pairs an ominous vocal from Idles' Joe Talbot with chaotic reggae, while The Happy Dictator critiques the allure of ignorance. The Sweet Prince captures a poignant hospital scene with muted elation, echoing the album's recurring theme: "Living is the ending of the beginning."
A Cohesive and Consistent Listening Experience
The Mountain stands out for its consistency, feeling more like a unified album than a playlist curated by someone with wide-ranging taste. It invites listeners to experience it from start to finish, rather than skipping through for highlights. This cohesion, driven by its themes of loss and cultural fusion, makes it an unexpected career highlight for Gorillaz, proving that after 25 years, the virtual band can still reach new peaks. The result is a glowing testament to life, memory, and artistic evolution, solidifying their place in music history.
