By Azzam Bilal 
HangupsMusic.com – LONDON, In the ever-evolving tapestry of modern pop music, few entities have managed to sustain the level of conceptual ambition and collaborative fluidity as Gorillaz. Following the neon-drenched, synth-pop escapades of their 2023 release Cracker Island, the world’s most famous virtual band has pivoted toward a more grounded, yet spiritually expansive horizon. Their latest studio offering, The Mountain, serves as a sprawling, star-studded odyssey that finds mastermind Damon Albarn and visual architect Jamie Hewlett venturing deep into the heart of the Indian subcontinent. It is a project that does more than just fuse disparate genres; it attempts to collapse the boundaries between the past and the present, the living and the departed, and the urban sprawl of London and the ancient echoes of the Ganges.
The Mountain is, at its core, a travelogue. Recorded largely during Albarn and Hewlett’s extensive travels through India, the album is steeped in the atmosphere of its surroundings. The credits read like a global census of musical innovation, featuring a massive ensemble of Indian virtuosos, Western rock legends, contemporary hip-hop heavyweights, and electronic pioneers. However, the most striking aspect of the record is its use of the "Gorillaz archive." By utilizing posthumous recordings from late collaborators, Albarn has effectively invited the ghosts of the band’s history to participate in its future. The result is a gargantuan 15-track effort that feels less like a traditional LP and more like a sonic pilgrimage.
The journey begins with the title track, "The Mountain," which sets a cinematic tone. The track features the unmistakable gravelly narration of the late Dennis Hopper, whose voice famously guided listeners through "Fire Coming Out of the Monkey’s Head" on 2005’s Demon Days. Here, Hopper’s spoken word is juxtaposed against the intricate sarod playing of Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash, creating a bridge between Western storytelling and classical Indian instrumentation. The inclusion of Ajay Prasanna’s bansuri and Anoushka Shankar’s sitar immediately establishes the album’s primary sonic palette—a rich, organic texture that differentiates this era from the digital sheen of its predecessor.
The album’s second track, "The Moon Cave," is a masterclass in collaborative layering. It features a staggering lineup including soul legend Bobby Womack, the late Dave Jolicoeur (Trugoy the Dove of De La Soul), and the powerhouse lyricism of Black Thought. The track also introduces the "Demon Strings," a recurring quartet that provides a haunting, orchestral backbone to several pieces on the record. Recorded in locations ranging from the high-tech Studio 13 in London to the sacred Ghats of Varanasi, "The Moon Cave" exemplifies the album’s ability to find harmony in chaos. The additional production by Argentinian sensation Bizarrap adds a modern rhythmic edge to a song that otherwise feels timeless.
One of the most anticipated moments on The Mountain is "The Happy Dictator," a collaboration with the legendary art-pop duo Sparks. Russell Mael’s operatic vocals mesh surprisingly well with Albarn’s melancholic delivery, while the "Mountain Choir"—a group of nine Indian vocalists—provides a soaring, communal energy. The track’s recording history is as varied as its guest list, with sessions taking place in Jaipur, Amritsar, and even Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. This geographical breadth is felt in the music, which carries the weight of a long journey.
The presence of the late Tony Allen on "The Hardest Thing" serves as a poignant tribute to one of Albarn’s closest musical partners. Allen, the Afrobeat pioneer who passed away in 2020, provides spoken word contributions that anchor the track in a sense of wisdom and reflection. The arrangement is sparse yet effective, relying on Chris Storr’s trumpet and the delicate bansuri of Ajay Prasanna to carry the emotional weight. It is a quiet moment of introspection amidst the album’s larger-than-life ambitions.
As the record progresses, it dips into contemporary sounds with "Orange County," featuring the rising folk-poet Kara Jackson and production from Bizarrap. This track, along with "The God of Lying" featuring the high-octane energy of IDLES, shows that Gorillaz remain firmly planted in the current musical zeitgeist. The IDLES collaboration, in particular, captures a frenetic, post-punk energy that is grounded by the steady pulse of Indian percussion, proving that the band’s experimental spirit is as sharp as ever.
The middle section of the album highlights the guitar work of Johnny Marr, who appears on four tracks, including "The Empty Dream Machine" and "The Plastic Guru." Marr’s jangle-pop sensibilities provide a perfect counterpoint to Anoushka Shankar’s sitar, creating a "East-meets-West" guitar-sitar interplay that defines the record’s instrumental identity. "The Empty Dream Machine" also features Black Thought, whose verses continue to prove why he is considered one of the greatest emcees of his generation.
Perhaps the most haunting inclusion is "Delirium," which features the late Mark E. Smith of The Fall. Smith, who previously collaborated with Gorillaz on the Plastic Beach standout "Glitter Freeze," brings his signature abrasive wit to the track. His posthumous contribution is layered over "Demon Strings" and the percussion of Viraj Acharya, creating a dissonant, avant-garde atmosphere that recalls the band’s more experimental mid-2000s output.
The album’s final stretch is a series of cultural intersections. "Damascus" brings together Syrian superstar Omar Souleyman and the legendary Yasiin Bey (formerly Mos Def). The track was recorded across London, Mumbai, Damascus, and New York, serving as a literal map of the album’s global reach. Meanwhile, "The Shadowy Light" features the "Nightingale of India," Asha Bhosle. At 90 years old, Bhosle’s voice remains a force of nature, and her collaboration with Welsh singer-songwriter Gruff Rhys is one of the album’s most unexpected delights.
The closing tracks, "Casablanca," "The Sweet Prince," and "The Sad God," bring the journey to a close with a sense of weary grandeur. "Casablanca" sees the return of Paul Simonon of The Clash on backing vocals, reuniting a portion of the Plastic Beach touring band. The finale, "The Sad God," brings back Black Thought, Ajay Prasanna, and Anoushka Shankar for a climactic fusion of hip-hop, classical Indian music, and orchestral pop. It is a dense, rewarding conclusion to an album that demands multiple listens to fully unpack.
Technically, The Mountain is a feat of engineering. Produced by the core team of Gorillaz, James Ford, Samuel Egglenton, and Remi Kabaka Jr., the album maintains a cohesive sound despite its dozens of contributors and international recording locations. The mixing, handled by Marta Salogni at Studio Zona, manages to balance the delicate tones of the sitar and bansuri with the heavy basslines and electronic textures that are a Gorillaz staple. The mastering by Heba Kadry ensures that the album’s vast dynamic range is preserved, from the quietest harp plucks to the thunderous energy of the Hindu Jea Band of Jaipur.
In the grander context of the Gorillaz discography, The Mountain feels like a spiritual cousin to 2010’s Plastic Beach. Where that album dealt with environmental decay and consumerism through a nautical lens, The Mountain looks toward heritage, mortality, and the transcendent power of travel. It is an album that acknowledges the passage of time—not just through its lyrics, but through the very voices it chooses to highlight. By placing the voices of the dead alongside the icons of the present, Albarn suggests that music is a continuous conversation that doesn’t end when the artist leaves the stage.
Ultimately, The Mountain is a testament to the power of the collaborative spirit. It is a massive, messy, beautiful, and deeply human record that could only have been made by an entity as unique as Gorillaz. It invites the listener to step out of their own geography and experience a world where the borders between cultures and eras are porous. As the final notes of the "Mountain Choir" fade out, the listener is left with the sense that they have traveled a great distance without ever leaving their headphones. Gorillaz have once again proven that their greatest strength is their ability to bring the world together, one mountain at a time.