Released: February 24
Boasting an impressive line-up of big name collaborators, Gorillaz create a sonic oasis on their eighth studio album ‘Cracker Island’.
Conceived back in 2021, the LP clocks in at 10 tracks with a concise 35 minute runtime, within which every track feels necessary and every guest feature essential to the development of the record.
As with previous albums, the LP positions itself in a self-contained world; a fictional paradise described by guitarist Noodle as “the sound of change and the chorus of the collective” that will, according to Murdoc Niccals, “soundtrack our collective ascension into the new dimension”.
In the two decades since Damon Albarn formed the cartoon group, the act has progressed from side project territory to his priority, becoming a live tour de force and magnet for talent – with ‘Cracker Island’ continuing to showcase their enduring creativity.
Produced in collaboration with Bad Bunny, Tormenta was the first completed track for the LP and almost made it out as part of their ‘Song Machine’ web series, before they opted to hold onto the recording for their next full-length project. The same is true of second single New Gold, featuring Tame Impala and Bootie Brown.
Greg Kurstin serves as the main producer for the record, alongside Brit Remi Kabaka, Jr., and with the majority of the recording completed as of May 2022, it’s been a year in the making.
Opening with its lead single and title song, the track introduces the future-facing concept of the record: ‘On Cracker Island it was born / To the collective of the dawn / They were planting seeds at night / To grow a made-up paradise.’
Stevie Nicks lends a standout vocal to Oil, with the tight male-female harmony harking back to her years with Fleetwood Mac, while Adeleye Omotayo features on the eighties vibe of Silent Running, and Beck lends a tender vocal to the delicate closing track Possession Island.
It’s not unusual for Gorillaz to run wild with their album lengths and 20-track collections aren’t unheard of, but in slashing the runtime down they hone their sound and offer up a focus and direction that elevates their offering to another level. With such a broad range of collaborators, it’s an impressive feat and a testament to the group that, after more than 20 years, they’re still delivering some of their best material.
‘Cracker Island’ is available now.
