Gorillaz - The Mountain

Worldbeat – Released February 27, 2026 – 15 songs, 66 mins

LUNDI

Throughout this week’s album notes ‘coolest guy in music’ is scribbled a handful of times. Somehow still underrated, we should consider ourselves lucky to experience the work of a musical genius in real time, a creative with immense talent that’s helped reinvent the music of the moment twice, and kept both his bands on the front foot for the decades that followed. 35 years have passed since the Damon Albarn led Blur vaulted britpop to the forefront of the music scene, today he’s showing no shortage of creativity building on his legacy leading the virtual icons Gorillaz on their ninth studio album The Mountain. 

Albarn and fellow bandmate Jamie Hewlett already find themselves in rarefied air with their musical DNA all over history and The Mountain will only make the drum beat of their legacy louder, but the artistic direction to make a cartoon virtual band some 30 years ago may help them last forever. While Mountain could very well be the last effort of the band as we know it, Gorillaz will never die. To this core, the creatives behind the scenes are meant to come and go, but 2-D, Hobbs, Noodle and Murdoc can live forever. Who they hand control to is unknown but the idea is unlike any other, however, while we salivate over that potential we still too have new music in this moment to enjoy. 

The Mountain is a grand artistic expression of communal loss. Time and time before it’s been said how profound emotion of heartbreak fuels excellent art and we find ourselves yet another fine example with a collection of lyrics that are poetry in motion. It’s an insightful in memoriam approach with elements that are painstakingly fawned over with the groups individual losses fuelling a collective desire to deliver a beautiful tribute. It’s a celebration of life years and heartbreaks in the making, that separates itself with its smarts and approach. 

Albarn, a long time political activist and philanthropist, has lived ten lives over and his aged persona and intelligence have always seen him stand amongst the great writers of our time. This remains true but it’s the veteran’s direction of injecting alternative culture that truly elevates this album. The western treat death with tears and black clothing, while the old world have always believed death is just the next step. I’m certainly not here to sell some profound belief, but there’s emotional well being merit to the method. The spirit can live on, and the Indian mindset and culture breathes a vibrant greatness to this record. 

Each of The Mountain’s 15 tracks benefit from superb arrangements that have layers upon layers that work hand in hand. The laundry list of instruments are given room to breathe yet the end product is tightly woven and symmetrical. The album never once feels hurried or messy, a piece of art that is clear and concise. Bask in the beauty as keyboards dance across melodic synths and drum machines fortify the multitudes of classic Indian instrumentations. Synths bounce off the walls with a hectic fury while bass shakes the foundation. Each arrangement meandering as if there was no method to the madness but on every track the pieces come together seamlessly. There is seemingly no bottom to Gorillaz bag of production tricks. 

For the first time since Plastic Beach, Gorillaz asked a collection of features to adapt to the bands sound rather than the band writing songs to fit the featured artist. I like Bad Bunny, Stevie Nicks and Tame Impala as much as the next but when Gorillaz debuted they were seen as the outcasts, the punks who found the up and coming artists from the streets or brought back former legends from the proverbial dead. They were something the losers could love and that sentiment was ultimately lost as they waded in the mainstream. The Mountain snatches it back and despite the immense and eclectic musicianship on display, this might just be why it succeeds the way it does. Invest your time in what matters, culture is everywhere, focus on the ones you love and believe in. There’s so much more than what the bright screens we’re all too consumed by tell you. 

Now while the negatives rarely find place in an 8+ written, it’s TSR so I must address the fact we have the dreaded hour plus album on our hands. While rare, this is a great case of not being a detriment. I won’t argue with anyone who finds it inconsistent but I will stand firmly that it’s all purposeful. There are 49 credited artists and musicians aside from the band. Nearly half (24) of those only have one appearance. It’s hard enough for a single band to leave their art on the studio floor but when you contract 49 musicians how do you find a way to cut them? Albarn is a seasoned vet with two iconic bands under his belt. To see him give a spotlight to all the artists above album length is not surprising. That doesn’t make it above criticism but I’d be surprised if Albarn doesn’t know this. At this stage his relationships and personal integrity are more important than trying to make the perfect compact album. If I can get behind any decision, it’s one by the coolest guy in music. 

Can you go down in history if you never die? Gorillaz may be the first band to live forever while the creators behind the scenes are a few of the most important musicians of the modern day. The Mountain is chalked full of dystopian dark pop that brings new ideas to the meaning of death and the spiritual concept of afterlife. 

Overall Rating: 8.3/10

Favourite Song: The Plastic Guru

ROZ

Save for Too Sweet Review’s absolutely glowing throwback review of Tame Impala’s Currents last month, the boys have been on a fiery run of reviewing new music since this year began. This week, a certain familiarity fills the room as the three crew members set their sights on one of the most legendary virtual bands to ever get inked into existence – that is, none other than the Blur spin-off, Damon Albarn fever dream creation Gorillaz and their ninth studio album The Mountain. While the group's 2023 effort Cracker Islandwas met by a lukewarm review from this TSR member, this 2026 record was anything but.

One of the beautiful things about having your likeness carried over to an avatar (much like Auburn has with his character 2-D and the rest of the Gorillaz crew) is that your music does not lock into any sort of moment in time. I’m not speaking of the development or evolution in one’s sound – I’m talking about the actual, tangible physical aging and maturity that we go through as human beings. If there’s one individual who has gone undefeated for millions of years, it’s Father Time himself – and there is nothing more grating than seeing an artist make an attempt to put up a fight. As I mentioned in my 2021 review of Foo Fighters’ Medicine At Midnight, it really is difficult to take a 50-year-old millionaire seriously when speaking on topics that impact the commoner much more than the elites. It’s the same reason why I cringe when I hear past-their-prime rock stars singing about girlfriend woes. With Gorillaz, Auburn can take a stance on whatever he damn well pleases – the band was created out of the disdain for the superficial boy band craze of the 90’s, after all.

What separates The Mountain from this general concept I’ve laid out is that Auburn flips it completely on its head in the realest way possible, alternatively using the record as his own spiritual journey, insteading focusing in on the death that is surrounding his life (dark for a music review, but nevertheless a harsh truth for us all). At its core, The Mountain speaks to loss, grief, and acceptance – in 2024, both Albarn and Gorillaz co-creator Jamie Hewlett would lose their fathers only 10 days apart from each other. From this loss, a journey by the duo was plotted through the crowded cities and steep mountains of India – not only a physical journey, but a spiritual one as well. The (already) diverse mixture of styles implemented by the band were then further influenced by the sounds and influence of both traditional and modern Indian music, as well as the collaborations with talented artists in those spaces and a hearty layering of traditional instrumentation throughout each song’s arrangement. From front to back, the album is a full-on immersive experience, which is further acknowledged by the near-ten-minute visual accompaniment on the Gorillaz YouTube channel  – it truly does feel like the you, the listener, are along for the journey as well.

Apart from personal loss and respecting those who have passed close to them, the band opens its radius to artists they have worked with in the past. Dennis Hopper, Dave Jolicoeur, Tony Allen and many more – Gorillaz insert their words and performances to further blur the lines between the real world and the afterlife. In true fashion to the bands discography, the features across The Mountain stand out across the board, as Alburn and company elicit strong performances from the likes of Yasiin Bey, IDLES, Sparks, the Root’s Black Thought, and The Clash’s Paul Simonon, to name a few. Hell, Albarn was even able to acquire the services of sitar player Anoushka Shankar, who’s father was one of the most legendary sitar players of all time, Ravi Shankar. If the stories are true regarding his own father’s interest in Indian classical music, there is no doubt that he is looking down smiling at what has son has put together in his honour. In the end, it is not only a beautiful gesture but also it leaves room for meditation on what all of this – what life – really means, as we peer through the eyes of an artist in his 50’s who is staring down the barrel of his own mortality. No grandstanding, no girl chasing – this is existentialism put to a groovy beat and a charming melody. Not many other albums can claim that combination, that’s for sure.

Transcendental. Mindful. Bittersweet. There are many descriptive words that you could use for your experience with The Mountain. This album is one of Gorillaz most ambitious yet – which means a lot when you consider the legendary run that they’ve been on since their inception.

Overall Rating: 8.1/10

Favourite Song: The Moon Cave

REID

This week’s review hits a sore spot for yours truly. My TSR counterparts are in festival preparation mode as they’re a couple months out from attending one of the premiere events on the calendar at Primavera Sound 2026. Unfortunately, it’s not in the cards for me this time around and the realization sucks more with each passing week. (If I was writing a screenplay I’d add a maximum volume sad trombone.) Gorillaz are amongst the headliners of the prestigious event and Damon Albarn is no stranger to this blog. This piece on The Mountain moves him into a tie with the amazing Adrienne Lenker for second place on our most reviewed artists list with three after Cracker Island (2023) with Gorillaz and The Ballad of Darren (2023) with blur. MJ Lenderman’s solo record combined with his contributions with Waxahatchee and Wednesday have him retain top spot. On the ninth studio album for the virtual band, Albarn and co-creator Jamie Hewlett pursued a concept. Unbeknownst to them, father time would land one in their laps.

“You spend the first 40 years of your life gathering people, and the last 40 years of your life losing people.” - Donna Ashworth

That quote hits hard. Fortunately for some and sadly for others, that age is not fixed. Having lost my father in 2020 and a good friend last summer, I wish I could tell you it gets easier. It doesn’t. Nothing can prepare you to lose a loved one. But you can choose how you deal with it. Hewlett and Albarn both lost their fathers within ten days of each other in 2024 and it led to the idea for The Mountain. A conceptualization of death, grief and afterlife brought to life by the infamous Gorillaz cartoon characters. That was just the groundwork of their ambition as in typical fashion, the list of collaborators is lengthy and diverse. The experience has a heavy dose of Indian instrumentation and its lyrics come in five languages; English, Spanish, Arabic, Hindi and Yoruba. They took it a step further by including posthumous features from deceased artists who worked with them in the past. Add it all up and you have a story told by two grieving masterminds layered with multi-faceted cultural assimilation and a blend of genres from musicians from the past and present.

At its best, The Mountain is the sum of its many components. The first five songs are of the highest quality as you dive into this new universe they’ve created. The sitar, flute and other Indian-influenced soundscapes are comforting on the opening, titular track, allowing them to bleed seamlessly into the rest of the album with great callbacks. The Hardest Thing interlude leading into Orange County is a highlight and feels like a microcosm of the record’s primary intention. The former has a feature from Albarn’s deceased companion, Tony Allen, with the lyrics“You know the hardest thing is to say goodbye to someone you love”. Simple but effective and the slow, dreamy synth provides a visual of the struggling protagonist. This feeling turns on a dime as we get an upbeat rhythm on the latter, led by the rare whistle. It’s not easy to make it work with the mouth instrument and by god, they pull it off. We’ve seen this dynamic before of catchy songs on painful topics from Japanese Breakfast, Phoebe Bridgers and others and like them, it’s done successfully. The contrast can also serve as a message to others dealing with grief that there’s light at the end of the tunnel and the next move is yours. Do your loved one proud and live your life.

TSR have discussed the risk versus reward for concept albums and it’s a tough hill to climb. Creating a world and idea this expansive is an immense challenge. One of the common difficulties is maintaining a high-quality musical output while telling your story and that’s an area this album lacks. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Hewlett said:

“What we’re asking is, take the time to sit with your earphones and listen for however long the album is, and look at the artwork, and then just lose yourself in this story…We’re trying to bring back that idea of taking time to invest in something, instead of this culture of scrolling.”

TSR fully supports this initiative but this reviewer thinks there’s more than a few skippable minutes on this one. The Empty Dream, The Shadowy Light, Casablanca and The Sad God may be sentimental, progress the story and have moments but are not good, complete songs. This represents about a third of the runtime and takes away from the listening experience.

The brilliant minds behind Gorillaz deserve all the credit in the world for using their grief to tell a story and inspire. Continuing to reinvent themselves and their sound at this stage of their career shows a true love of their craft.

Overall Rating: 7.0/10

Favourite Song: Orange County