It’s a pretty good time to have a cartoon band. The garish creations of Damon Albarn and illustrator Jamie Hewlett are now 20 years old and haven’t aged, lost work or been otherwise debilitated by current circumstances.
Their latest concept — releasing a song almost monthly, with an accompanying “episode” of animation, isn’t a result of lockdown smashing up the old album-tour-album-tour cycle — Song Machine began at the start of this year with live videos including Albarn, Fatoumata Diawara and the cartoons whizzing around Lake Como in a speedboat.
Rather, it’s a product of the streaming era’s need for constant content. Even the most attention-deficient consumer couldn’t get bored with these 11 songs (17 in the deluxe version) and a remotely assembled cast list that includes Elton John, Slowthai, Beck and The Cure’s Robert Smith. The dripfeed style means this collection doesn’t flow as coherently as 2018’s almost guest-free The Now Now.
Aries, with its melodic bassline from Peter Hook, understandably sounds just like New Order, while the union of Slowthai and Slaves on Momentary Bliss results in a brash shout-off. But this may well be the strongest Gorillaz line-up yet. St Vincent reaches the space age on Chalk Tablet Towers, a crooning Elton John rubs up against the drowsy digitised voice of 6lack on The Pink Phantom, and rappers Schoolboy Q, Octavian and Kano turn in impressive cameos. Albarn’s retro electronics just about hold it all together until the lengthy credits roll.
