Light on the border of the unknown.
The Mountainhis new production, is a luminous meditation on death, transition, and the celebration of what comes next. Recorded between London and Varanasi, the album weaves spirituality, political humor and collaborations that cross generations and geographies. In an interview the four members —2D, Murdoc, Russell and noodle— they talk about the concept behind the album, the influence of India, the power of memory and the importance of the human in times dominated by artificial intelligence.
Indie Rocks!: The Mountain has been described as “a playlist for a party on the border between this world and whatever comes next.” How did the idea of approaching death and transition from a celebratory rather than solemn place come about?
Noodle: Every album feels like a new beginning, but this one more than ever. Being in India, looking at the river, we saw things differently: death is not an end, but the beginning of a new journey. And we are all on that journey.
Murdoc: Exact. AND Gorillaz It is the perfect crew for that journey. All four of us have had our brushes with the afterlife. I have kicked Satan, Russell has faced the Grim Reaper, Noodle He's been to hell and back, ya 2D They almost sacrificed him to a demon. So let's sail into the unknown (with me as captain, of course) and wait for our signal from the other side.
GO!: In songs like “The God of Lying” and “Casablanca” doubt and vulnerability appear as constant forces. How do you live with the idea that questioning everything can be exhausting, but also necessary?
2D: It doesn't matter if you're tired, you have to question everything. My question for you is…what was the question?
Russell: But you have to be careful. Question everything, sure, but if you don't trust the signal, you start to see ghosts in the static. I speak from experience.
GO!: They have described this album as “a musical meditation impregnated with light.” How does that spiritual idea translate into rhythm, groove and energy throughout The Mountain?
Russell: That's music, right? Translate emotion into sound. Each song is a feeling. Do you feel it too? That's the goal. It is alchemy: the emotion is transformed and becomes something new.
GO!: “The Happy Dictator” and “The God of Lying” explore power, manipulation and uncomfortable truths. How important was it to use humor and irony to address political issues without turning them into direct statements?
Murdoc: Direct statements are for people in suits repeating slogans, and they tend to be very boring and talk a lot of nonsense. My songs are much closer to the truth. You could choose any topic Gorillaz randomly to prove it… I don't know, for example: “Murdoc is God”.
GO!: The album brings together artists, languages and generations with performers like Asha Bhosle and Trueno. What does it mean to you to build a musical community where past, present and future coexist?
Noodle: Yesterday, today and tomorrow always coexist in whatever space you are in, even if you can't always see it. Gorillaz It's like weird glasses that show you the party that's happening around you and that we're all part of the same thing. People you thought were gone, people you haven't met yet, that weird cousin you don't remember inviting… they're all here.
GO!: Many of the voices that appear in The Mountain They are no longer physically with us, but they remain through music. What was it like working with memory, archives, and emotion when integrating these posthumous collaborations?
Murdoc: This is how things work in kongcolleague. You go out, you come back, the door is always open. We have made albums with the “newly alive” since day one. It's a pleasure to work with them, really. There are no big egos and we don't spend as much coffee either.
GO!: The art of The Mountain embraces handmade creation in an era dominated by artificial intelligence. Why was it important for this visual universe to feel human, imperfect, and deeply crafted?
Noodle: There is no substitute for human connection and there never will be. We are not perfect and it is precisely in that carefully made imperfection where we give our best.
GO!: The album was recorded in multiple cities around the world, from London to Varanasi. How did India—its relationship with spirituality, grief, and the cycle of life—influence the final identity of the album?
Russell: India has this way of seeing life and death as if they were the same song, just with different verses. It makes sense. The music continues to play even when you let yourself be carried downstream. We all need that fluidity, that voice next to you that tells you it's okay.
GO!: Towards the end of The Mountain There remains an ambiguous feeling between hope and farewell. What would you like audiences to take away emotionally from listening to the album from start to finish?
2D: The end is the beginning. When you get used to that…
GO!: Describe Gorillaz in three words.
2D: Okay, okay. Oh…
Murdoc: Aha! That's your three, buddy. Let me try: “Gorillaz It's the”…Damn, this is difficult.
Russell: Chaos, light, family.
Noodle: Makeru ga kachi (Losing is winning).
