Gorillaz’ latest album, The Mountain, was released on Feb. 27. It includes aspects from Indian culture, featuring the Sanskrit symbol for “mountain” on the album cover. The album was inspired by band members Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett’s travels in India and the loss of their fathers ten days apart. This album explores themes of loss, grief, and incorporates diversity with many songs featuring artists of different backgrounds, including Indian, Argentine, and Syrian.
The longest song on the album, “The Manifesto,” is mostly sung in Spanish. It features Argentine artist Trueno rapping about climbing a figurative mountain in life and reflecting on what may come next. Lyrics reflecting this topic include “Cada paso una ensenanza, sigo con confianza”, and “Para poder mirar la vida en diferentes puntos”, which translate to “Each step is a lesson, I continue with confidence” and “So I can look at life from different angles.” Another song in the album is “Damascus.” Damascus is the capital of Syria, and Omar Souleyman, a Syrian singer, is featured on this track. The lyrics of this song show appreciation and respect for refugees with lyrics such as “Here to navigate the waves in the dark, no map, stars in the heavens and the breeze on my back.” The song was also meant to show solidarity with Syrians involved in the civil war, which lasted from 2011-2024.
The songs “The Hardest Thing” and “Orange County” are intended to be listened to together. “The Hardest Thing” is a tribute to Tony Allen, whom Albarn had previously collaborated with in the band The Good, The Bad, & The Queen. “Orange County” is an upbeat companion to “The Hardest Thing.” Both songs contribute to the album’s themes and connect to listeners with the lyrics “You know the hardest thing is to say goodbye to someone you love.”
Gorillaz appeared on Saturday Night Live to promote their album, where they performed the song “The Moon Cave.” One of the most unique parts about this song are the instrumentals: a sitar, sarod, and harp are all featured. The song is about The Moon Cave, a place where Albarn can reflect upon his life’s memories and thoughts. Further expressing the theme of loss, the track includes vocals from Dave Jolicoeur from De La Soul.
Freshman Oliver Wystup shared his thoughts on the album: “I think the album is sad but also very good. I also like how it talked about the creator’s father passing away and expressed his sadness for it.” When asked about the album, sophomore Jacob Katz answered, “I thought the album was very different from their others. It explored Indian culture and music that I’m unfamiliar with but some songs I really liked. I feel that a lot of the songs sound very similar, but I don’t mind it because they have a very upbeat vibe and spirit.” Additionally, freshman Emma Galgano voiced, “I originally started listening to Blur and then began checking out some of the other stuff Damon Albarn was involved in. I’m glad I did so because I enjoy all the creativity that goes into the animation of the music videos for Gorillaz. I haven’t listened to the album yet but I have it pre-saved to listen to soon.”
One of the high-profile features on this album is The Smiths guitarist, Johnny Marr. The songs he was included in have a more melodic feel compared to the others on the album. Songs like “The Sweet Prince”, “Casablanca”, and “The Empty Dream Machine” are all slower paced. An exception to this is “The Plastic Guru”, which is more upbeat. The song discusses commercialism in a critical light and gives a message in choosing one’s own path in life. The term “Plastic” in Plastic Guru refers to someone who is fake, someone who is “Starring in your own show and selling your snake oil” as snake oil is seen as a scam miracle drug.
Along with the release of this album, Gorillaz will be touring until December, including venues like Madison Square Garden, Kia Center, and the Capital One Arena.
