So after 7 years of waiting Gorillaz have suddenly dropped 4 singles at once and as a massive fan I was immediately hyped. I was slightly wary however - after all, the puzzling kind-of release of 'Hallelujah Money' which not only seemed to be a very strange choice of lead single with a video which wasn't anything like the beloved animated videos fans are used to, but was also one of too many similarly themed anti-Trump songs all released around his inaguration, which meant it got swallowed up with little praise. These new singles however are far more promising...
Saturn Barz (ft. Popcaan)
Saturn Barz is the main single being pushed to promote 'Humanz', as evidenced by it being the only of the 4 singles with a proper video, and it seems to so far be the most divisive of the 4. I can see why some would be turned off by instead of hearing Damon Albarn/2D's familiar reverb-heavy British voice hearing an autotuned Jamaican dancehall star yelling "ALL MY LOIFE!", but it's pretty much exactly what I wanted from the new Gorillaz album - the band trying out new, relevant stuff without 'selling out'. Aside from Popcaan's addictive hook, the instrumental is also great, with heavy bass, trap inspired percussion and ghostly voices backed up by equally spooky synth notes. And that's all before 2D's perfectly depressing chorus rolls around, and the song turns from being a hellish party into a claustrophobic nightmare about cannibalistic Gods and technophobia. If someone had told me that Gorillaz were about to drop a dancehall-inspired track just a year after the boom of unbearable commercial dancehall in the form of Drake and Major Lazor I would have been worried, but Gorillaz pull it off in style.
9/10
Andromeda (ft. D.R.A.M)
The first of the four singles I personally heard, Andromeda is still my favourite of the 4. My favourite Gorillaz song (and one of my all time favourite songs in general) is 'On Melancholy Hill', which should make it clear why I love this song so much. It's calm, euphoric and the repeated refrain of "Take it in your heart now lover" gets me every time. D.R.A.M doesn't make a huge contribution to the song, to the point where I didn't realise he was actually featured until several listens in, but his soulful voice fits the song greatly. Overall, it's one of the best songs I've heard this year.
10/10
Ascension (ft. Vince Staples)
This is a weird one. Lyrics about racial tensions meet with ideas about the end of the world and a meme is sampled for the most terrifying second of music released this year. This is possibly my least favourite of the songs, mainly because several of Staples's lines are a bit... off ("All these liberated women sittin' in my lap" and "She wet like Barbra Streisand" are two examples.), but other than that the track has massive momentum and the build up to the scream was absolutely nerve-shredding until I found out it was sampled from the legendary "OH YEAH MR KRABS" Youtube video.
8/10
We Got The Power
Listening to this right after 'Ascension' can give you whiplash, as it's maybe the most straightforwardly joyous songs they've ever made. Since Gorillaz are most loved for their more depressing cuts ('Clint Eastwood', 'Feel Good Inc.') this has the potential to go under the radar, which would be a huge shame. Jenny Beth's powerful vocals, distorted in the same way as 2D's are perfect for the song, and although their not immediately noticable, Noel Gallagher's vocals on the final chorus are incredibly significant, as it gives legitimacy to the message of the song. After all, what could be a better way of preaching love and tolerance than having two of the key players in the once-huge Blur vs Oasis beef finally coming together on a great song?
9/10
No comments:
Post a Comment