Gorillaz’s latest album is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get.
 
The animated band has returned with the fusion of a multi-genre album, and with this album, the brainchild of Gorillaz, Damon Albarn (frontman of Blur) has taken the meaning of music collaboration to another level.
 
Plastic Beach is dissimilar to the previous two studio albums, and all the tracks sound different from one another. No, it is not different solely because it features diverse guest vocals like Snoop Dogg, Lou Reed, Mark E. Smith, De La Soul, The Clash’s Mick Jones and Paul Simonon, etc. The main reason is that melodies, tempos, beats, intensities and even themes shift not only between the songs, but also within. Furthermore, these multiple layers of sounds and the multiple genres including Hip Hop, Trip-Hop, Rap, Grime, Electro-Funk, Electro-Pop, Dance-Pop, and World Music come together brilliantly.
 
The gradual development and build-up in “Empire Ants” featuring Little Dragon and in “Sweepstakes” with Mos Def and Hypnotic Brass Ensemble are absolutely the work of artistic genius. “White Flag” also showcases a very unexpected and unusual combination. It starts and ends with uplifting eastern music provided by The Lebanese National Orchestra for Oriental Arabic Music, but the middle part bursts with the two grime rappers Kano and Bashy. Even though there are no catchy hooks in “Rhinestone Eyes”, Albarn’s dreamy voice along with crisp synthesizers is hypnotic and experimental yet convincing and refreshing. “Some Kind of Nature” is another great choice of utilizing guest vocals, and it is fun to listen to Lou Reed mellowing out. The other track featuring Mos Def, “Stylo”, is also astonishing. The contrast between Mos Def’s laid-back rapping and Bobby Womack’s soulful fierce voice is really entertaining, and both compliment each other perfectly in this electro-funk song.
 
No matter which track I play, there is always a new flavor of Damon Albarn’s remarkable talent. Many artists/DJs may also be able to mix completely different sounds together, but what separates Albarn from them is that his songs do not sound like random noise. He knows how to mix all the right ingredients in one pot just for one dish, harmonize them in a perfect balance, and finish by adding different emotions as well as messages into each work. As a result, I honestly cannot count how many different genres or genre crossovers are in this one album. Frankly speaking, at first I was overwhelmed by the vast variety, and it was like taking a mystery tour - I did not know what was coming or where I was going. However, the more I listened, the more I relaxed and was mesmerized. While savoring the current track, I could not wait to taste the next song already. 
 
Plastic Beach is so unique that it will probably take a long time until I get bored. Even though a few tracks in this album may not be as memorable as “Dare” or “Feel Good Inc”, this album as a whole is more interesting to me than the two previous studio albums. Gorillaz may consist of fictional members, but the music is as real as ever. This is one heck of an album that should satisfy cross- and multi-genre listeners. Highly recommended (to those who do not dislike electronic music).
 

Tracklist:
1. Orchestral Intro
2. Welcome to the World of the Plastic Beach
3. White Flag
4. Rhinestone Eyes
5. Stylo
6. Superfast Jellyfish
7. Empire Ants
8. Glitter Freeze
9. Some Kind of Nature
10. On Melancholy Hill
11. Broken
12. Sweepstakes
13. Plastic Beach
14. To Binge
15. Cloud of Unknowing
16. Pirate Jet