How Gorillaz turned a global pandemic into an experimental, episodic musical machine
In short: When the world locked down in 2020, the virtual band Gorillaz abandoned traditional album cycles. Instead, they launched Song Machine, an episodic project that fed on chaos and the unknown. By releasing singles and videos in real-time, they created a sprawling, genre-defying record that captured the strange spirit of the times.
Released on 23 October 2020, Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez served as the culmination of an ambitious, year-long experiment. Rather than following a standard production schedule, the virtual band Gorillaz, led by Damon Albarn and Remi Kabaka Jr., treated the project as a living, breathing entity. The concept, teased in January 2020, aimed to break the traditional industry mold by releasing music episodically, allowing the band to remain reactive to a rapidly shifting world.
The project’s fluidity was tested by the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted the initial monthly release schedule. Despite this, the band continued to produce, even releasing a tribute single, "How Far?", following the death of collaborator Tony Allen in April. The resulting album is a chaotic, eclectic amalgamation of styles—ranging from punk rock and hip-hop to bossa nova and acid house—held together by a high-profile roster of guests including Elton John, St. Vincent, and Robert Smith.
Critical reception was largely positive, with the album earning universal acclaim on Metacritic. Reviewers praised the record’s stylistic diversity and the seamless way Albarn integrated such varied voices. Because of the pandemic, the band could not tour, opting instead to broadcast in-studio performances titled "Song Machine Live From Kong" in December 2020. Ultimately, the project proved that by embracing the unknown, the band could produce a cohesive, ambitious work even under the most restrictive global circumstances.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez
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