Indie 2-D animated band Gorillaz—famed for chart toppers and social media hits like 'Feel Good Inc' and 'On Melancholy Hill'—announced a new album on Friday with a distinct connection to India.
The band's ninth studio album—and their first under their new record label KONG—is titled 'The Mountain', and will be released on March 20, 2026.
Gorillaz collaborated with several musicians for the exciting new album, including Asha Bhosle, Indian-American singer-lyricist Asha Puthli, sitar maestro Ravi Shankar's daughter Anoushka Shankar, Ajay Prasanna (flautist), and Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash (sarod players).
The album was recorded at London's Studio 13, as well as in Mumbai, Delhi, Rajasthan and Varanasi, in addition to cities in Miami, Ashgabat, Damascus, and New York. The artist lineup for 'The Mountain' have collectively sung in as many as five languages: Arabic, English, Hindi, Spanish, and Yoruba.
A press release for 'The Mountain' describes it as a “playlist for a party on the border between this world and whatever happens next, exploring the journey of life and the thrill of existence", a Rolling Stone report said.
The album art—featuring virtual members 2-D, Murdoc Niccals, Noodle and Russel Hobbs in an Indian setting—very much seems to bring in a blend of east and west, while also promising not to rely on older 'eat, pray, love' stereotypes of India.
Created by London-based musicians Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett, Gorillaz also released 'The Happy Dictator', a single from 'The Mountain', to build momentum for the album's release next year. The new track also features American pop duo Sparks.
The band also announced a nine-concert tour starting in Manchester on March 21, 2026 and ending in Dublin on April 1, 2026, as well as a one-off show at London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on June 20, 2026. It is not yet known when the band will play in India.
