Gorillaz Announce New Album The Mountain
Gorillaz are officially back, yes, for real, with a big, weird, globe-trotting new album called The Mountain, dropping March 20, 2026, on their own label, KONG.
And honestly, if you’re already picturing cartoon characters scaling literal peaks with a sitar soundtrack and fake passports, you’re not far off.
Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett’s crew have carved out a reputation for pop experimentation, and with this ninth studio release, they’re leaning in hard, recording in studios dotting the map from London to Mumbai and even winding up in cities like Ashgabat, Damascus, Miami, and LA.
The band’s in-universe story is spinning wild as ever, with the animated members (2D, Murdoc, Russel, Noodle) currently stranded in India, navigating both musical mountains and hulking, mystical metaphors of life itself.
It’s the first Gorillaz album since 2023’s Cracker Island, and by the look of things, the band’s return isn’t just business as usual; it’s a full-on, multi-lingual festival, with guest artists from five languages (English, Hindi, Arabic, Spanish, Yoruba) and genres ranging from electronic pop to Indian classical.
Not sure what “genre” this will be, but it definitely won’t be boring. Having seen Gorillaz riff live in 2018, I’ll admit: their sets can get as bonkers as the record. Expect everything, tabla solos, Sparks harmonies, and a likely interruption from Murdoc if he figures out how to hack the visuals.
Gorillaz The Mountain Track List
The album’s tracklist? Packed. I mean, there’s a Dennis Hopper cameo. Dennis Hopper! (Rest in peace, but still, with Gorillaz, anything apparently is possible.) Kicking off with the epic-sounding “The Mountain,” this set travels all over the sonic map. Here's the not-at-all-normal selection of collaborations from the lineup:
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“The Mountain” (Dennis Hopper, Ajay Prasanna, Anoushka Shankar, Amaan Ali Bangash, Ayaan Ali Bangash)
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“The Moon Cave” (Asha Puthli, Bobby Womack, Dave Jolicoeur, Jalen Ngonda, Black Thought)
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“The Happy Dictator” (Sparks)
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“The Hardest Thing” (Tony Allen)
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“Orange County” (Bizarrap, Kara Jackson, Anoushka Shankar)
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“The God of Lying” (IDLES)
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“The Empty Dream Machine” (Black Thought, Johnny Marr, Anoushka Shankar)
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“The Manifesto” (Trueno, Proof)
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“The Plastic Guru” (Johnny Marr, Anoushka Shankar)
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“Delirium” (Mark E. Smith)
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“Damascus” (Omar Souleyman, Yasiin Bey)
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“The Shadowy Light” (Asha Bhosle, Gruff Rhys, Ajay Prasanna, Amaan Ali Bangash, Ayaan Ali Bangash)
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“Casablanca” (Paul Simonon, Johnny Marr)
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“The Sweet Prince” (Ajay Prasanna, Johnny Marr, Anoushka Shankar)
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“The Sad God” (Black Thought, Ajay Prasanna, Anoushka Shankar)
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About half these names would be at home in a world music festival—the rest belong at a 3 AM club gig or classic rock reunion. The fact that the band recruited artists who sing and rap in five different languages makes this album sound like a playlist assembled at a borderless café, not a London studio.
A personal confession? I never thought I’d see a song featuring both Ajay Prasanna and Johnny Marr; this pairing is like getting spicy curry at a Manchester football match.
It shouldn’t work, but in Gorillaz World, it probably does. Last time I tried to recommend their earlier work, my friend gave up at “Feel Good Inc.” because it was “too animated.” For this new record, I’ll need to preface: it’s not just animated, it’s nearly interdimensional.
Gorillaz The Mountain Tour Dates
Gorillaz are heading out on a European tour right after the album drops, kicking things off in Manchester on March 21 and zigzagging across the UK and Ireland. If you’ve ever been to a Gorillaz show, you’ll know it’s part audio-visual circus, part cartoon fever dream. Here’s what’s confirmed so far:
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March 21 – Manchester, Co-op Live
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March 22 – Birmingham, BP Pulse Live
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March 24 – Glasgow, OVO Hydro (with Trueno)
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March 25 – Leeds, First Direct Arena (with Trueno)
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March 27 – Cardiff, Utilita Arena (with Trueno)
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March 28 – Nottingham, Motorpoint Arena (with Trueno)
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March 29 – Liverpool, M&S Bank Arena (with Trueno)
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March 31 – Belfast, SSE Arena (with Trueno)
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April 1 – Dublin, 3Arena (with Trueno)
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June 20 – London, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (with Sparks and Trueno)
https://www.instagram.com/p/DOeKAcvDMYo/?hl=en
Dates feel compact but punchy, kind of like Gorillaz themselves. No sprawling world tour (yet), just a focused run with enough chances to catch the show without a passport hack.
Honestly, the last time I tried to nab tickets for Gorillaz, I was stuck in the queue so long I learned three new synonyms for “refresh.” This time, given the hype for the new album and the cartoon legends’ real-life mythos, expect ticket sales to be brisk.
Maybe someone can lend Murdoc a few extra passports. Heck, maybe Sparks will jump in for “The Happy Dictator” encore. What’s actually wild is imagining the band’s animated avatars, 2D, Murdoc, Russel, and Noodle, traveling India’s mountains as the story outlines.
Having recently watched friends celebrate Holi in Varanasi, the band’s journey is hilariously plausible. Imagine Noodle dodging Holi powders while mastering tabla. It’s uniquely Gorillaz—a blend of high concept and street-level artistry.
Wrapping It Up
So, Gorillaz’s The Mountain isn’t just another album drop; it’s an adventure sprawling across geography, genre, and even narrative style.
Whether you’re in for the sitar riffs, Sparks collaborations, or the sheer spectacle of cartoon musicians running amok, this promises plenty to chew on. If past records are anything to go by, expect the unexpected.
And whatever you do, keep your passport handy. You never know where Gorillaz are headed next.
