Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
As one of the hardest working men in music, Damon Albarn makes yet another album.
As one of the hardest working men in music, Damon Albarn makes yet another album, a welcome return to his guise as Gorillaz. With the outstanding success of ‘Demon Days’, expectations are high for what was once seen as just a side project. It's been almost five years since their last outing, so with all the waiting around will 'Plastic Beach' live up to the hype?
From the orchestral opening, it’s fairly noticeable that this is not ‘Demon Days’ Part Two; this is a chance for them to push boundaries, try new things and make a brilliant album. 'Plastic Beach' really is a complete melting pot of sounds. From hip-hop to African break-downs to Lebanese flute solos; it’s not an easy album to listen to.
‘Stylo', the debut single, features Mos Def and Bobby Womack and will startle fans used to ‘Dare’ and ‘Clint Eastwood’, but is proof Gorillaz call the shots and feel no need to stay so overtly commercial. Womack’s vocals are of course exceptional, but there are finer moments later: ‘Superfast Jellyfish’ is all fun and games, and why not when you have the happiest hip hop group De la Soul and Gruff from Super Furry Animals on hand, and the dirt-electro of ‘Glitter Freeze’ is a welcome experimentation. Elsewhere, Lou Reed has the time of his life on ‘Some Kind of Nature’, and Kano, Bashy and The Lebanese National Orchestral work wonders over what seems to be a discarded theme for a lost Mario Bros game.
The only things missing from ‘Plastic Beach’ are a guitar solo and a power ballad, but you do wonder if Gorillaz are struggling to cherry pick their 'special guests'. Could this be a few collaborations too far?
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