"Albarn and Hewlett, joined by producers James Ford, Samuel Egglenton, percussionist Remi Kabaka Jr. and Argentine EDM DJ Bizarrap, recorded the album all over the world, making for their most cosmopolitan affair yet, and mostly for the better. While unexpected artistic pairings have become less novel in their quarter century since 2001's Gorillaz broke down genre lines, Albarn still has a flair for the unexpected."
"Albarn was never quite as cynical as he presented himself on Blur's '90s state-of-the-nation missive Modern Life Is Rubbish, but he's gotten downright utopian as he nears 60, showing both the world and himself that artists can bridge cultural gaps in ways politicians will never grasp. Here, they include enlisting Kara Jackson to plead "I'm not your enemy" on the whistle-laden "Orange County.""
Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett transform death into celebration by honoring late collaborators on The Mountain (Kong), including Mark E. Smith, Dave 'Trugoy' Jolicoeur, Bobby Womack and Tony Allen. The record was recorded across the world with producers James Ford, Samuel Egglenton, Remi Kabaka Jr. and Argentine EDM DJ Bizarrap, resulting in a cosmopolitan, genre-blending sound. Unexpected pairings such as Black Thought, Johnny Marr and Anoushka Shankar on "The Empty Dream Machine" give voice to ineffable grief, while Jolicoeur and Womack urge savoring life on "The Moon Cave." Albarn's utopian impulse seeks cultural bridging, though some tracks verge on overly pleasant, balanced by unruly, kaleidoscopic moments.
Read at SPIN
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