Gorillaz have announced the release of their long-awaited new album. It’s titled Humanz and set for release on April 28th.
The band revealed the album’s title on Instagram via a series of photos spelling out the name Humanz. Each letter contained photos of the album’s various guest collaborators. The impressive cast includes Noel Gallagher, Mavis Staples, Carly Simon, Grace Jones, De La Soul, Savages’ Jehnny Beth, Pusha T, Danny Brown, Vince Staples, Kelela, and D.R.A.M.
Additionally, Gorillaz revealed new artwork for each of the band’s four animated characters: 2D, Noodle, Russell, and Murdoc. They look best laid out on Instagram, but you can also see them all embedded below.
Later this afternoon, Gorillaz mastermind Damon Albarn will premiere two four of the album’s tracks during an appearance on BBC Radio 1. Update: You can listen to all four tracks and watch a 360-video for “Saturnz Barz” here.
Additionally, Gorillaz have revealed the album’s artwork and tracklist. The standard edition of Humanz spans 14 tracks, with the deluxe edition tacking on five bonus cuts.
Albarn also spoke at length about Humanz in an interview with BBC Radio 1. “Simply put, we’re in transition, we’re turning into something else,” Albarn said of the album’s narrative. “The album kind of came from this dark fantasy. Just imagine, the weirdest, most unpredictable thing that changes everything in the world. How would you feel on that night? Would you go and get drunk? Would you stay at home? Just watch TV? Would you talk to people?”
The album was written several months before America’s presidential election, but following Donald Trump’s surprise victory, the album took on an entirely different meaning. “I suppose we were imagining the idea of Donald Trump. It’s not about Donald Trump at all. But it was imagining that in a way. That was our dark fantasy, and unfortunately that became our reality.”
Albarn added that Humanz is a “party, club record,” but it has a “weird darkness about it.”
Tomorrow, Gorillaz will play a secret concert in London with plans to perform the album in full. Ticket info can be found here.
Humanz Artwork:
Humanz Tracklist:
01. Ascension (feat. Vince Staples)
02. Strobelite (feat. Peven Everett)
03. Saturnz Barz (feat. Popcaan)
04. Momentz (feat. De La Soul)
05. Submission (feat. Danny Brown & Kelela)
06. Charger (feat. Grace Jones)
07. Andromeda (feat. D.R.A.M.)
08. Busted and Blue
09. Carnival (feat. Anthony Hamilton)
10. Let Me Out (feat. Mavis Staples & Pusha T)
11. Sex Murder Party (feat. Jamie Principle & Zebra Katz)
12. She’s My Collar (feat. Kali Uchis)
13. Hallelujah Money (feat. Benjamin Clementine)
14. We Got The Power (feat. Noel Gallagher and Jehnny Beth)
Deluxe edition bonus tracks:
15. The Apprentice (feat. Rag’n’bone Man, Zebra Katz & Ray BLK)
16. Halfway To The Halfway House (feat. Peven Everett)
17. Out Of Body (feat. Kilo Kish, Zebra Katz & Imani Voshana
18. Ticker Tape (feat. Carly Simon & Kali Uchis)
19. Circle Of Friendz (feat. Brandon Markell Holmes)
