Gorillaz

Conceived in late-1990s London around musician Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett, Gorillaz presents itself as a virtual band embodied by four animated characters—2D, Murdoc, Noodle and Russel. The group’s sound blends pop, hip-hop, alternative rock, dub and electronic music, with frequent guest vocals that give each release a distinct character. The debut album, simply titled “Gorillaz” (2001), established this fusion and a visual narrative, a thread continued by “Demon Days” (2005) and “Plastic Beach” (2010), which broadened the palette toward more orchestral and synthetic textures. “The Fall” (2010) documents a touring period, followed by a partial hiatus from live and recording activity. Gorillaz then resumed a steady pace with “Humanz” (2017) and “The Now Now” (2018), focused on electronic tempos and tighter song forms, and later with the serial project “Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez” (2020) and “Cracker Island” (2023). On stage, Gorillaz expand this hybrid concept by combining musicians, animated projections and guests from rap, pop and electronic music, in configurations tailored to major tours and international festivals.