It was only a short few weeks ago that the beloved virtual band Gorillaz released The Mountain, their ninth studio album. The stunning journey through worldwide psychedelia and hypnotic melodies pushes the Damon Albarn-led band into yet another exhilarating new direction, marked by its whimsical flutes and ethereal textures. The Mountain continues the Gorillaz trend of carefully recruiting collaborators to execute a lofty vision that paid off tremendously, furthering the band’s undeniable career and colorful discography. While The Mountain is experimental in the grand scheme of rock music, Gorillaz sounds like a completely different band on a new album has become the norm, consistently shattering expectations and delivering spellbinding examples of their fearless artistry. All trends, even nuanced ones like this, must start somewhere, and 25 years ago, Gorillaz started what has become one of the more expansive catalogs in contemporary music.
On March 26, 2001, Gorillaz released their classic self-titled debut album. In the twenty-five years since its release, the album seemingly hasn’t gone anywhere. While Gorillaz have made clear creative strides on albums like Plastic Beach and The Now Now, all roads always seem to lead back to the individuality this band established on their first outing. The story goes that a post-Blur Albarn and the man behind the design of the digital band members, artist Jamie Hewlett, were watching MTV in the late nineties and noticed a particular lack of authenticity and soul in the songs being played. Their idea: create an actual soulless cartoon band as an answer to the lack of true artistry they were seeing. Ironically enough, Gorillaz became more than an answer to modern times; they went on to reshape it.
Originally, Gorillaz consisted of Albarn, rapper Del the Funky Homosapien, Dan the Automator, and Kid Koala. Recording for Gorillaz began way back in 1998, three years before any of the 15 original songs on the album saw the light of day. In their attempts to create something of substance, Albarn and his band landed on something entirely new, a nuanced fusion masterpiece that bridges punk, indie, Hip-hop, and psychedelia under one monumental umbrella. There is a reason Gorillaz still stands as one of Gorillaz’s most prized works, despite their ever-evolving sound. These songs reshaped the world’s perception of Albarn, spawned massive hit singles, and successfully put creativity back on the musical map at a time when it seemed to be fleeting.
Even if someone hasn’t heard Gorillaz, there is a strong chance they recognize the songs contained on this landmark release. There is no need to go into massive records like the Hip-hop stand-out “Clint Eastwood,” the bouncy pop excellence of “19-2000,” or the horn-driven, dance party anthem “Rock The House.” These three singles launched Gorillaz into the mainstream, but the staying power of Gorillaz can be found in the B-sides, if you could call them that, considering the LP has gone Platinum around the world.
Other non-single stand-out tracks are what shaped the Gorillaz we see before us today, a collection of daring musicians hellbent on creating something of substance. The psychedelic, rocking “Sound Check (Gravity),” the tight punk grooves of “M1 A1,” and the tight indie rock riffs and poetic songwriting of “Tomorrow Comes Today” showcase the sprawling, risk-loving form Gorillaz would take. Even the fuzzy warmth of songs like “Man Research (Clapper)” and the otherworldly, subtly jazzy “Latin Simone (Que Pasa Contigo)” sound like they could’ve been radio hits, yet they remain hidden gems for new Gorillaz fans to discover.
Therein lies the magic of Gorillaz. These 15 songs did more than usher in Albarn’s new musical era; they forced contemporary music to analyze the artists they’re promoting. The band’s debut album, which received high praise from media outlets like Q (four out of five stars), Alternative Press (eight out of ten), and reached number one on charts across the globe, doubled as a statement piece from a renowned musician. Gorillaz is the kind of album that will sound refreshing in another fifty years, and especially after only 25. There is only one way to celebrate a quarter of a century of Gorillaz: go back, give it a listen, and remind yourself why these songs have been cemented in pop culture.
