Gorillaz

Humanz

Humanz’s flaw is what gives it its energy: like the scattered flashes of (mis) information flying out from every handheld and household device, the album throws it all at you in one gloriously delirious barrage that has no real anchor. Richly energised and energising, it’s not only infectious for the listener.

The lawless, world-altering scenario ‘Humanz’ presents us with is not a poorly attended inauguration but a massive, cross-genre party, composed largely on an iPad by Albarn and illustrated by his mate Jamie Hewlett.

What Humanz lacks in memorable hooks, it makes up for in fist-clenching spirit--and We Got The Power sums that up best.

Albarn's fondness for melancholy and melody means each track packs a punch with both its hook and its general demeanour, but these are aligned to sound clashes from disco to dancehall.

For every dumb interlude or misjudged feature or weak beat, there are at least two moments of genuine brilliance here.

Humanz, Damon’s fourth record as Gorillaz, is not his best, but it didn’t need to be. It’s a comeback record that’s less immediate and sugary than Plastic Beach, less iconic than the self-titled or Demon Days.

This is a different kind of Gorillaz record, and it’s likely to be a grower if only because most fans will find certain expectations quickly shattered.

The tracks are all good—they are all “fun”—but there’s a manic intensity to it that doesn’t add up.

The takeaway from Humanz is not that the record is poor: there are loads of good tracks here. But rather that while it may purport to have a cohesive story, this is an album enjoyed more in individual tracks than in combination.

All though Humanz is filled with its many intros and interludes I believe it has too many collaborations going on and that Albarn should produce what he knows he can do on his own by providing an album with his own voice and only a few collab songs.

‘Humanz’ is largely an impressive showcase of how Albarn’s eclectic tastes are something he’s more than capable of harnessing and tying together with intelligence and nuance.

This mix-and-match mob is never dull, but it yields magic just intermittently. When it does, however, it's something to behold.

The lyrics on Humanz might be Gorillaz's darkest, but the album has lots of bright music. Albarn says he thought of it as a party mixtape, which translates on Humanz via dayglo synths, rubbery basslines and catchy hooks.

Even with its heavy, heavy R&B vibe and roiling politics, Humanz feels strangely uplifting, as if every musician who entered the studio found solace in the act of creation.

Humanz is another strong entry in Albarn’s lengthy and brilliant catalog. At its best, it doubles down on what Albarn has done right all along while also pointing in new directions he can go.

With so many talented people involved, Humanz was always going to have its moments, and it is undoubtedly an engaging, intriguing and bold record. Yet when compared to Demon Days or Plastic Beach, one cannot help but feel just a little underwhelmed by the songs here.

Humanz is good, because Gorillaz are good, and it distinguishes itself by probably being the band’s most party-orientated record, which is great. But ultimately it feel like Gorillaz are now more curators than provocateurs, locked into a classy, comfortable groove.

Humanz mostly feels like a playlist as a result, with each song acting as a self-contained referendum on how this particular guest fares in Gorillaz World.

With a bit more focus, Humanz could have been an essential part of Gorillaz’s narrative. Instead, it’s a scatterbrained frenzy of emotion — which is what’s to be expected of anything immersing itself in the chaotic, logic-free nonsense of the world post-election.

While Humanz is the biggest departure Gorillaz has yet attempted, it is also their biggest grower.

Humanz is a chaotic experience – a rollercoaster of booming highs and some pretty awkward lows.

It weaves together reggae, soul, hip-hop, house and pop as if to push back against the self-centeredness of American politics under President Trump. Unfortunately, few songs truly stand out.

As ever ... the achievement of this album lies in Albarn marshalling an array of talents, and hauling the mainstream to a stranger place for a little while.

Humanz is by no means a bad album, it’s definitely fascinating to hear Gorillaz become so separated from their own music. But that’s the trick of Gorillaz, seeing how far their non-existence can go.

Albarn effectively weaves together his guests' ostensibly disparate styles.

Humanz has its share of strong performances and musical highlights, but all too often its guests are misplaced or poorly utilized and the songwriting/production just isn't up to the Gorillaz standard.