Smith to relevant staples of contemporary hip-hop culture like Snoop Dogg and Mos Def, Albarn is somehow able to pull off an experiment of epic proportions that finds amazing consistency in his ability to revel in other’s supplemental talents. From cult staples of classic-rock like Reed and Mark E. After all, can anyone even envision Lou Reed, Mos Def, Snoop Dogg, and Bobby Womack working on the same album together? Perhaps this sounds odd, but like a quality mixtape Plastic Beach is bound to introduce listeners to new artists using a concept and artist they are already familiar with. The sixteen tracks, only four of which appear to have no collaborators, make it bear an initial resemblance to a hip-hop mixtape. Even looking at the tracklisting of Gorillaz’s third album can be daunting. Plastic Beach, to put it bluntly, is the most selfless album Albarn has ever done. That he would pursue a commercial-friendly blend of ominous pop and infectious trip-hop after Blur was not at all surprising, nor was the massive success of Gorillaz that followed.

Albarn’s prevalent ambition has always suggested a discontent with treading in one stylistic spot too long, as even with Blur one can see obvious differences between the catchy pop of Parklife and more atmospheric-driven works on 13. We see this now more clearly as groups like Oasis and Suede dissolved into nothingness, shortly prior to Albarn disbanding of Blur on amicable terms before they released even one flop. Blur, in my opinion, was the best Brit-pop act of the ’90s. For over twenty years, he has been producing stellar material, with each of his most popular projects – Blur and Gorillaz – becoming some of the most popular acts of their respective decades. As one of the most melodically gifted pop songwriters of the past several decades, his consistencies defy expectations for any songwriter prominent since the early ‘90s. While Gorillaz is certainly aided by a PR-friendly campaign of engrossing visuals courtesy of Jamie Hewlett, Albarn’s success is indebted largely to his inarguable talent as an alarmingly consistent songwriter and producer. His Gorillaz project has been one of the best-selling groups of the past decade for several reasons. Their eponymous 2001 debut album and 2005's Demon Days have sold more than 12 million copies altogether, according to the Gorillaz website.For the average music fan, it would be easy to say Damon Albarn is cheating. 'This Plastic Beach is the furthest point from any landmass on Earth - the most deserted spot on the planet,' they add.

In a statement on their website, the band say they 'have taken up residence, recording on a secret floating island deep in the South Pacific, a Plastic Beach HQ, made up of the detritus, debris and washed-up remnants of humanity'. The single, which features Mos Def and Bobby Womack on vocal duties alongside Albarn, will be released on Tuesday. On Friday, they made new single Stylo available on their website hours after it was reportedly leaked online.Ī message from the band, posted on the Twitter page of fictional member Murdoc Niccals, said: 'A leak! A leak! Plastic Beach has sprung a leak! One of those Russian pirates has put a bullet hole on my island! My single's leaked!'Ī later tweet announcing that fans could hear the track on the Gorillaz website said: 'If anyone's going to leak my single it'll be me!'

The band, created by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett, have also announced they will headline the Coachella festival in California on 18 February. The 16-track album will feature artists including Lou Reed, Snoop Dogg, De La Soul and Mos Def. Animated band Gorillaz will headline the Coachella festival on 18 FebruaryĪnimated band Gorillaz will release new album Plastic Beach on 8 March, they have announced.

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