By Matt Lo
Gorillaz have always had a special place in my heart. Before finding them, my music taste was gray, dull and lacked substance (mostly just Heart radio hits). At the age of 14, I was first introduced to the band when a friend played On Melancholy Hill, a song that I still resonate with and remains my top pick out of any of their albums. I was instantly a fan – a fan of the music, a fan of the album, a fan of the four faces. For years I listened to their discography – enjoying each replay, the music aptly accompanied by the band members’ captivating stage personas.
I must admit, I have not been dialed into their music in recent years. That is not to say their music crashed and burned, I had just personally moved onto the ‘hardcore light house’ playlist on Spotify by the age of 16. The albums following Plastic Beach were good. I enjoyed listening to the The Now Now and Cracker Island, but I felt something was missing – or was it something too familiar?
Fast forward to 2025: I was excited to find out a new Gorillaz album was coming out. Caught with a tingling sensation in my belly that this album ‘could be their redemption’, like a sheep I jumped onto the pre-save queue. I’m happy to say, their newest project is certainly one to keep note of. For this album, Gorillaz went full method, travelling to locations like Delhi, Mumbai, and Varanasi, the spiritual capital of India. Prior to the album’s release, fans got a sneak peek of the music featured through their visually stunning animated short inspired by the Jungle Book, showing the characters journeying towards their destination. Their destination? You might ask – Death.
In classic Gorillaz fashion, The Mountain is made with the purpose of conveying a central theme. This time, it’s rebirth and the afterlife. To talk about The Mountain, one must first mention the several artists that made this project come to life. Following the theme of death, the album includes various posthumous features, including contributions from Bobby Womack, Johnny Marr, Tony Allen, and more. These are all talents that have collaborated with Gorillaz on previous works, so it seems more than fitting to pay tribute to them in this manner. The first song and title track The Mountain, brings a fresh introduction to the album. Led by stunning sitar, this track brims with energy and life, prepping listeners for the inevitable reflective rollercoaster this album takes us on. The following track The Moon Cave brings listeners back to a sound fans are all too familiar with. Backboned by the beautiful vocals by Asha Puthli, Albarn brings back the electro disco music vibe that I once craved from Gorillaz. It wouldn’t be a Gorillaz album without a touch of political satire, exhibited brilliantly in The Happy Dictator, God of Lying, and Plastic Guru. These songs battle with political performativity, deception and ego, success and fame, all framed as part of a journey of self-reflection and acceptance, rejecting the commander of our actions.
Gorillaz backs these songs with familiar sounds heard in previous iterations, bringing back nostalgic tunes reminiscent of Plastic Beach, this time led by strong sitar strings from Anoushka Shankar, foregrounding the central theme of spirituality and rebirth. Nods and references to other artists are littered throughout the album, however one stands out amongst the rest. “Goodnight, sweet prince”, a somber line spoken by Horatio during Hamlet’s final moments, makes an appearance in the second last track, The Sweet Prince. Like the play, this song is less about the fear of death but more about guidance in passing, reflecting on Albarn’s own experience with his father’s death. The last song brings us into the perspective of our creator, now mourning for what his creation has become. Black Thought delivers on awesome rapping throughout the song, with Albarn returning one last time: “You closed your eyes in paradise”.
When listening to The Mountain, I could not help but find myself with eyes closed engulfed in the music. Although I’m largely unfamiliar with the sitar, the strings work beautifully in this album to support such immense vocals. This is not a perfect album, but then again, what is the perfect album? It does what it intends to, taking listeners on a reflective journey through fifteen tracks and a Disney-esque animated short. The experience comes full circle when you realize that only the first and last songs are in D major. The Mountain did not change my life, but it moved me. It felt like such a refreshing yet nostalgic sound, highlighting the importance for artists to explore distinct sounds but also keep true to their talent. Whether you are a Gorillaz fan or not, I urge you to step into the garden, smoke a little something, relax, close your eyes and listen to The Mountain; one listener to another, you won’t regret it.
Featured Image: Genius