By Kate Birch
Not quite hip-hop, not really rock, even maybe a little bit bluesy; Gorillaz have a sound that is so theirs that you can’t even label it.
After a 6 year break; Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett – along with their four slightly more primitive, virtual band members – have quietly slipped back into the music industry with new track: ‘Hallelujah Money’.
With a sound that is ingeniously feel-good and an image unlike any other, Gorillaz have a reputation for being a little bit out there. That’s exactly what new track is. Out there.
Taking their own music into their paws and twisting it into the darker, more distorted feel of ‘Hallelujah Money’. The funky bass-lines that take main spotlight in their most distinguished tracks, such as ‘Feel Good Inc’ and ‘Clint Eastwood’, take more of a backseat, giving only undercurrents of their more familiar sound.
The new track feels a little unknown, even die-hard fans of the band must feel like this was a bit of a step in the dark. Featuring full-bodied deep vocals, and unsettling background sounds create an uneasy, trippy feel throughout.
The four and a half minutes of blunted bass notes, unfamiliar voices and strange lyrics will have you questioning whether we ever really knew the Gorillaz at all.
