
What do you get when you combine Damon Albarn, singer for Britpop superstars Blur, with hip-hop producer Dan The Automator? Gorillaz, silly! Albarn takes a busman's holiday and avails himself of the opportunity to take the kind of sonic risks one would be unlikely to find on a Blur album. This isn't hip-hop or dance music per se, though "Rock the House" is a bona-fide party rap tune, and Dan The Automator adds plenty of hip-hop elements and trip-hop beats throughout.
Ultimately, GORILLAZ is occupied by Albarn's arch, twisted pop vision filtered through a dizzying array of electronic sounds and studio manipulations. There are some interesting stylistic experiments, too, as on the Latin-style "Latin Simone," which features a guest vocal from none other than Cuban legend Ibrahim Ferrer, and "Slow Country," which, despite its title, is an excursion into the atmospheric land of dub reggae. This is a far cry from Britpop--imagine Blur in a sonic kaleidoscope. And then try in vain to imagine either of the Gallagher brothers attempting anything close to this.
Gorillaz: 2D, Noodle, Russel, Murdoc (a.k.a. Damon Albarn, Del Tha Funky Homosapien, Sky Edwards, Dan The Automator).
Additional personnel includes: Miho Hatori, Tina Weymouth, Ibrahim Ferrer.
Producers include: Dan The Automater, Tom Girling, Jason Cox, Gorillaz.
Recorded at Gee Jam Studios, Jamaica.
"Clint Eastwood" was nominated for the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group.
- Format: Vinyl
- Released: 03/17/2015
- Genre: Pop, Hip-Hop, Rock
Track Listing:
A1 Re-Hash
A2 5/4
A3 Tomorrow Comes Today
A4 New Genious (Brother)
B5 Clint Eastwood
B6 Man Research (Clapper)
B7 Punk
B8 Sound Check (Gravity)
C9 Double Bass
C10 Rock The House
C11 19-2000
C12 Latin Simone (Que Pasa Contigo)
D13 Starshine
D14 Slow Country
D15 M1 A1
D16 Clint Eastwood (Ed Case/Sweetie Irie Refix)