I have never been the biggest Gorillaz fan. Like most people, I knew their popular hits like “Feel Good Inc.” or “On Melancholy Hill,” but I had never felt the urge to truly delve into their universe. Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett’s creation had always seemed like something cool, but not special in any way.
When “The Mountain” released on Feb. 27, 2026, I decided to give Gorillaz a chance. After all, I did enjoy their most popular songs, and the idea of musicians being driven by creativity in a world of AI is something noble. Although I was expecting high-quality music mixed with a unique atmosphere, the world that Gorillaz crafted is something that is truly special.
“The Mountain” is one of those albums that you have to listen to from start to finish. From the first track to the finale, the album builds up a world that mixes the grief of losing someone with the joy of rebirth. The whole premise of the album centers around the idea of rebirth and religion while also mixing in other themes such as love, pollution, and the death of creativity.
The album begins with the cinematic intro titled “The Mountain.” The heavenly instrumentals set the stage as we are swallowed into the mystical world of the album. The album is then followed by fantastic songs such as “The Moon Cave,” but the biggest standout is “Orange County.” The track takes on the emotions of grief and what it truly means to lose someone you love, but it does so in such a hopeful manner that you can’t help but feel hopeful too.
As the album progresses, the mood becomes more solemn, and songs such as “The Empty Dream Machine” introduce a darker and more dramatic setting that draws from the voices of Albarn and Anoushka Shankar. For me, the instrumentals on this album were truly otherworldly and were able to translate the artists’ feelings in a profoundly emotional way.
Gorillaz would not be the first artist to craft a record that plays with the idea of death and rebirth, but the way that they tackle such a delicate topic is nothing short of cinematic and beautiful. One of the biggest ways that the virtual band stands out is by incorporating traditional Indian music and instrumentals to dive further into the ideas of reincarnation and mortality.
However, the thing that surprised me the most about this record were the features. Historically, Gorillaz has served as a venue for upcoming artists, and famous stars, to display their talents and express their creativity. Although the album still holds itself to those standards with Latin American stars such as Trueno and Bizarrap, they also incorporate post-mortem features from artists whom the band collaborated with on previous projects. These features include the rapper Proof, the Nigerian drumming legend Tony Allen, The Fall vocalist Mark E. Smith, and many others.
The album concludes with the track titled “The Sad God.” The final track encompasses most of the themes in the album, but also ends on a bittersweet tone. The track is supposed to resemble the message of a god who explains how humanity is slowly destroying itself with the gifts that god introduced. As the final track of the album, I think it does a great job of leaving the audience with both a message and a beautiful listen.
“The Mountain” is one of those albums that people will point to and label as a classic. For me, this album caused me to delve into the world of Gorillaz and explore their chaotic universe. Although the album sounds vastly different from mainstream music, I truly encourage everyone to give it a chance.
Overall, A+.
You can listen to the album here:
