Gorillaz Announce Hand-Drawn Short Film and Ninth Album 'The Mountain'

The Gorillaz, the virtual band led by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett, have announced their ninth studio album, 'The Mountain,' set for release on February 27 via their new label Kong Records. The album follows 2023's 'Cracker Island' and marks a new chapter for the band. Inspired by personal losses and a trip to India, the concept album explores death and the afterlife, urging listeners to engage with it as a complete work rather than skipping tracks. It features 15 tracks with contributions from Omar Souleyman, Yasiin Bey (Mos Def), Anoushka Shankar, Johnny Marr, Paul Simonon, Idles, and posthumous appearances by Dennis Hopper and David Jolicoeur of De La Soul. Songs are performed in English, Hindi, Arabic, Spanish, and Yoruba. Instead of traditional music videos, the album will be accompanied by a hand-drawn animated short film titled 'The Mountain, The Moon Cave and The Sad God,' produced by London-based independent animation studio The Line. The trailer, shot in B-movie horror style, draws inspiration from Disney classics like '101 Dalmatians' and 'The Jungle Book,' as well as films such as Barbet Schroeder's 'La Vallée' and Alejandro Jodorowsky's 'The Holy Mountain.' The short will premiere exclusively on February 26 at Alamo Drafthouse cinemas in the United States. The Gorillaz will perform in Italy on June 27 at the La Prima Estate festival in Lido di Camaiore and on July 25 in Piazza Unità d'Italia in Trieste.