“a world-building ode to death and starting over”
“a late career peak haunted by ghosts yet glowing with life”
“Gorillaz find beauty and joy amidst loss on the mesmerising The Mountain”
“In a lot of ways The Mountain could be seen as Gorillaz's most ambitious album so far.”
“The animated band’s ninth album gathers collaborators both living and departed for a characteristically audacious monument to grief, India, and archival memory.”
“Inspired by a visit to India, Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett ground their musings on the afterlife in warm, gorgeous instrumentation with a clear, cohesive thematic anchor, but the style ultimately overwhelms the substance.”
“2026 Reviews: Project: #019 Title: The Mountain Artist: Gorillaz Tagline: Gorillaz makes music that comes straight from the heart, with it's fully emotional yet hopeful atmosphere. Once again like I have said in only certain few reviews, this album feels like one of few albums this year to genuinely feel like music, like it has a heart, and has that soul, actually inspiring music. Production feels electric and precise, yet also spiritual and ethereal. The album manages to get the "after-life" and "mourning" persona sonically well, and matches it exactlly as it should be. Everything fits and sits perfectly well with each other, and the production actually sounds incredible and perfectly full, not overdone, not underdone. Also the accessibility to a wide audience, making it enjoyable to everyone, and it even almost being fully clean (with the exception of ONE line from Proof). There may be some occasional (happened like 2-3 times throughout the album, not often) production or hooks that clash with the other elements in the same song, but other than that, I have no huge issues at all. FAVOURITES: The Empty Dream Machine, Damascus, Orange County LEAST FAVOURITES: Delirium, The God of Lying Simplified rating: 9/10”
“A transcendental journey through the troubles of life and death, this album is very much a “blood brother” to Gorillaz’s “Plastic Beach”. The virtual band enlists collaborators, both living and dead, to bring us into a space where both celebration and mourning come together to create something beautiful. This album pointedly targets societal occurrences while functioning within the Gorillaz’ own cartoon universe. Making statements about people and situations that are encouraging the downfall of society as we know it, the band hits the mark of maintaining their position as a band unafraid to be bold and political.”
“Me gustó, es un buen álbum y Damon nos regaló un himno más de todos los que ya tiene gorillaz, Orange County me dio escalofríos de esos que hacen llorar 🫀”
“ok exactly what I expected just give me the lore now I dunno it was pretty solid”
“gets better after every listen and better then plastic beach”
