Gorillaz have a large Gen Z following, and to kick off the rollout for the genre-blurring, culture-jamming multimedia band's next album, Damon Albarn is giving that audience exactly what they want: a Sparks feature. The Mountain, the follow-up to 2023's Cracker Island, will arrive in March. (Yes, this campaign will be quite the climb.)
Announced today, on the 30th anniversary of Blur's The Great Escape, The Mountain is the first Gorillaz album on their newly formed label KONG, and as usual where these guys are concerned, it boasts an impressive guest list. In addition to Sparks on lead single "The Happy Dictator," the album features (in alphabetical order according to first initial) Ajay Prasanna, Amaan & Ayaan Ali Bangash, Anoushka Shankar, Asha Bhosle, Asha Puthli, Bizarrap, Black Thought, Gruff Rhys, IDLES, Jalen Ngonda, Johnny Marr, Kara Jackson, Omar Souleyman, Paul Simonon, Trueno, and Yasiin Bey. It also has the voices of late legends Bobby Womack, Dave Jolicoeur, Dennis Hopper, Mark E. Smith, Proof, and Tony Allen. Gorillaz produced it all with James Ford, Samuel Egglenton, and Remi Kabaka Jr., plus Bizarrap on "Orange County."
Around the time of the album's release, Gorillaz will be touring through the UK and Ireland. Then, on June 20, they'll play their first ever stadium show at London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. As for "The Happy Dictator," it's a chipper synthpop tune with a Broadway musical feel. "I am the one to give you life again," the Mael brothers sing. "I am the one to save your soul, amen." In between lyrics from Albarn, the guests continually chime in, "Oh what a happy land we live in." It's some mighty catchy satire. Listen below.
TRACKLIST:
01 "The Mountain" (Feat. Dennis Hopper, Ajay Prasanna, Anoushka Shankar, Amaan Ali Bangash, & Ayaan Ali Bangash)
02 "The Moon Cave" (Feat. Asha Puthli, Bobby Womack, Dave Jolicoeur, Jalen Ngonda, & Black Thought)
03 "The Happy Dictator" (Feat. Sparks)
04 "The Hardest Thing" (Feat. Tony Allen)
05 "Orange County" (Feat. Bizarrap, Kara Jackson, & Anoushka Shankar)
06 "The God Of Lying" (Feat. IDLES)
07 "The Empty Dream Machine" (Feat. Black Thought, Johnny Marr, & Anoushka Shankar)
08 "The Manifesto" (Feat. Trueno & Proof)
09 "The Plastic Guru" (Feat. Johnny Marr & Anoushka Shankar)
10 "Delirium" (Feat. Mark E. Smith)
11 "Damascus" (Feat. Omar Souleyman & Yasiin Bey)
12 "The Shadowy Light" (Feat. Asha Bhosle, Gruff Rhys, Ajay Prasanna, Amaan Ali Bangash, & Ayaan Ali Bangash)
13 "Casablanca" (Feat. Paul Simonon & Johnny Marr)
14 "The Sweet Prince" (Feat. Ajay Prasanna, Johnny Marr, & Anoushka Shankar)
15 "The Sad God" (Feat. Black Thought, Ajay Prasanna, & Anoushka Shankar)
TOUR DATES:
03/21 - MANCHESTER, UK @ Co-op Live
03/22 - BIRMINGHAM, UK @ bp pulse LIVE
03/24 - GLASGOW, UK @ OVO Hydro*
03/25 - LEEDS, UK @ First Direct Arena*
03/27 - CARDIFF, UK @ Utilita Arena*
03/28 - NOTTINGHAM, UK @ Motorpoint Arena*
03/29 - LIVERPOOL, UK @ M&S Bank Arena*
03/31 - BELFAST, IE @ SSE Arena*
04/01 - DUBLIN, IE @ 3Arena*
06/20 - LONDON, UK @ Tottenham Hotspur Stadium+
*support from Trueno
+support from Sparks and Trueno
The Mountain is out 3/20 via KONG. Pre-order it here.
