“The Mountain” is Gorillaz’ ninth studio album, releasing on March 20th 2026, is an expansive sonic landscape of instruments and sounds, richly layered with voices, melodies and addictive beats, spanning a collection of 15 songs that embody the very essence of Gorillaz’ collaborative ethos. The record features an extraordinary list of artists and collaborators including: Ajay Prasanna, Amaan & Ayaan Ali Bangash, Anoushka Shankar, Asha Bhosle, Asha Puthli, Bizarrap, Black Thought, Gruff Rhys, IDLES, Jalen Ngonda, Johnny Marr, Kara Jackson, Omar Souleyman, Paul Simonon, Sparks, Trueno and Yasiin Bey; as well as the voices of friends and collaborators who have gone before us, including Bobby Womack, Dave Jolicoeur, Dennis Hopper, Mark E Smith, Proof and Tony Allen. The Mountain is 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.
With this announcement also comes with news of The Mountain Tour which will visit arenas across the UK and Ireland in Spring 2026, with support from Trueno on selected dates AND a sneak peak into the album with the song “The Happy Dictor” featuring Sparks, which is out NOW on music streaming services!
Musically, it blends Gorillaz’s familiar mix of synth-pop and atmospheric textures with a catchy, somewhat ironic chorus: “No more bad news / So you can sleep well at night / And the palace of your mind will be bright.” Lyrically, the song treads a fine line between satire and earnestness. Albarn has shared that “The Happy Dictator” was inspired by a trip he took with his daughter to Turkmenistan, where the leadership attempts to maintain a public facade of happiness by limiting negative news. The result is a track that both invites reflection and delivers an infectious melody. The contrast—between dark undercurrents and a deceptively joyous musical surface—feels quintessentially Gorillaz.
For the fans that keep with up with the Gorillaz lore, circumstances now find Murdoc Niccals, Russel Hobbs, 2D and Noodle in India, having made their way to Mumbai with the help of four fake passports courtesy of a New York business acquaintance of Murdoc. The band has turned its back on international pop stardom, with our heroes now immersed in the rhythms of mystical music making, as they navigate the mountainous terrain of this thing called life.
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