Gorillaz are so back. The virtual band led by Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett are gearing up for their ninth studio album, The Mountain, set to arrive on March 20, 2026 via their own imprint, Kong, in partnership with The Orchard. Following 2023’s Cracker Island, this new project is soaked in collaboration.
The rollout began with “The Happy Dictator,” a quirky, synth-heavy single featuring Sparks, followed by “The Manifesto” with Trueno and a posthumous appearance from Proof. Their latest drop, “The God of Lying” featuring IDLES.
“Can I tell you a secret?” frontman 2D muses in the single’s press release. “Doubt is very tiring but questioning things is really good for you.”
What We Know for Sure
Let’s start with the facts. The Mountain is officially confirmed for a March 20 release and features 15 tracks. The album was recorded across the globe, from London and Devon to Mumbai, Damascus, Los Angeles, and New York. Albarn reportedly worked alongside musicians in India, Syria, and West Africa, creating what looks like Gorillaz’s most international record to date.
Confirmed collaborators include an all-star lineup: IDLES, Sparks, Johnny Marr, Black Thought, Yasiin Bey, Anoushka Shankar, and even posthumous appearances from Tony Allen, Bobby Womack, and Mark E. Smith. Each track appears to build on Albarn’s long-running fascination with cross-cultural fusion and weaves together English, Arabic, Hindi, Spanish, and Yoruba vocals.
The album’s release will be followed by a UK and Ireland arena tour kicking off March 20 in Manchester.
What’s Rumored (But Likely True)
There’s heavy speculation that The Mountain may function as a sequel to 2010’s Plastic Beach. Another concept album from the band where themes of globalism, environmentalism, and moral ambiguity collided. Albarn has hinted at wanting to revisit that universe, and early fan theories point to parallels between “The God of Lying” and the old Plastic Beach narrative about corruption and illusion.
Rumors also suggest a companion film or visual project may be in the works — a hallmark of Gorillaz releases since Demon Days. With Jamie Hewlett reportedly developing “new visual worlds” for the band’s characters, fans are expecting something cinematic to accompany the album, even if details remain vague.
❓ What We Still Don’t Know
Despite the flood of early information, in true Gorillaz fashion, they are keeping some secrets close to the chest.
There’s no clear word yet on whether the animated band members (2D, Murdoc, Noodle, and Russel) will appear in a cohesive storyline this time around. Apart from the “God of Lying” visualizer, there’s no sign yet of a full animated rollout of short films, new character designs.
Given how wide-ranging the feature list is, it’s hard to tell whether the album will lean electronic, rock, hip-hop, or world fusion, though early singles hint at all of the above.
And maybe the biggest unknown of all: What will The Mountain represent? Is it spiritual? Political? Emotional? The metaphor could point anywhere. And again, in true Gorillaz fashion and history, the answer will probably unfold slowly.
Whether you follow Gorillaz for their sound, their visual story, or just the weird joy of watching a cartoon band outlive most real ones, all we can do is wait and speculate… and maybe question a few things along the way.
