I won’t lie, I haven’t been crazy about the albums released in 2026 so far. Mitski and Harry Styles both released decent albums, but those didn’t entice me much. The rap scene, aside from J. Cole’s return-to-form The Fall Off, has been barren and uninspired. I’m sure by the summer, we’ll get our classic pop girlies and rap juggernauts resetting the music industry, but right now, it feels like the music drought of 2025 has only continued into this year.
… Or, so I thought until I finally gave Gorillaz’s latest album, “The Mountain,” a casual spin and was instantly reeled in. Composed of Blur singer Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett, Gorillaz dominated the 2000s and 2010s with iconic banger after iconic banger from “Feel Good Inc.” to “On Melancholy Hill.” This artsy band is also made of four fictional members, including 2-D, Murdoc, Noodle, and Russel, with their own distinct quirks and personalities.
The band’s ninth studio album, “The Mountain,” is a spiritual meditation on grief, love, death, and the afterlife, imbued with cultural influences from India to the Arab world. In fact, the project’s themes were inspired by both Albarn and Hewlett’s experiences with loss.
You hear that deep essence of grief present on tracks like “Sweet Prince.” A quieter moment in the tracklist, this otherworldly tune depicts losing one’s father with imagery of the afterlife and rebirth. As somber and solemn as it is, it also has this wise undertone that death may not be final and that someone passing could set them on a “patterned path into the next life.”
The mystical “Empty Dream Machine” presents grief through learning to live through an uncertain, somber transition. The galactic, twinkly sitar instrumental coalesce perfectly with Albarn’s forlorn vocals, portraying a vast spatial emptiness within grief – very reminiscent of “Plastic Beach,” might I add. Black Thought’s rap verse and the call and response outro really transcend the song for me; by the end, it becomes this fusion of introspection, deep-wounded sorrow, and reflection.
A track like “The Shadowy Light” is an alternative way of looking at death through a frame of peace and renewal. With a verse sung in Hindi by the late singer Asha Bhosle, “The Shadowy Light” is wonderfully meditative with a wise insight into life and death: “The end is the beginning.”
In other ways, the theme of loss relates to the end of a relationship, like the glimmering “Orange County.” Despite how lyrically melancholic it is, I found it to be quite pleasant, striking an odd mixture between serenity and sadness for me. The melodic whistling and the excellent verse from poet and singer Kara Jackson add this summery quality to the song that I just couldn’t get enough of. Plus, the repetition of the hook, “You know the hardest thing is to say goodbye to someone you love,” just hits in the most tender of places for me.
In between the more grief-laden hitters, “The Mountain” had plenty of upbeat tunes with a colorful variety of subject matter. “The Happy Dictator” hooked me from first listen, not just because of its infectious melody but also its fascinating lyricism on cults of personality and dictatorships. The song was inspired by a trip Albarn took to Turkmenistan, learning about former dictator Saparmurat Niyazov, who famously wanted to ban bad news (hence the “No more bad news” chorus).
Quippy lyrics like “I am the one to give you life again / I am the one to save your soul, amen” and “Oh, what a happy land we live in” create a satirical front that underscores how leaders and governments manufacture happiness for citizens. In a similar fashion, “The Plastic Guru” evokes this idea of artificiality but through a “guru” who seeks attention and selfish pursuits rather than actually helping people.
“Damascus” is such an electrifying moment in the tracklist, with how it embraces Arab culture as well as one of the oldest cities on Earth. With how insanely tuneful and hyped it is, this one was an instant favorite and actually the first song I listened to from this album. I love the rap/spoken word bits from Yasiin Bey (formerly Mos Def) mixed with trill-singing from Syrian singer Omar Souleyman. Hypnotic to a T!
“The Sad God” fittingly concludes this journey up “The Mountain” as a depiction of a deity disappointed in its creation (specifically, humans). Through Hinduism imagery, the song also depicts human loneliness and loss of connection, instead of “only screens left to see your face.” I found it to be an interesting commentary on the follies of human behavior and how we were given tools to excel, and instead, use them for harm.
If this review is indicative of anything, it’s that “The Mountain” is one of, if not the best, releases this year. The majesty of the project and its contribution to Gorillaz’ musical canon is nothing short of remarkable and meditative. We still have the rest of the year to get outstanding releases but honestly, I think Gorillaz set the standard extremely high this year with “The Mountain.”
Rating: 8.5/10
Favorite Tracks: “The Moon Cave,” “The Happy Dictator,” “Orange County,” “The Empty Dream Machine,” “Damascus,” “The Shadowy Light,” “The Sweet Prince”
Least Favorite Track: “The God of Lying”
