HUMANZ: FIRST IMPRESSIONS

HUMANZ - GORILLAZ
SPLIT'S FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Get ready for the liveblog (livelisten?) of the impending apocalypse. The sky's fallin', baby. Where will you be when it all comes down?

I SWITCHED MY ROBOT OFF: pretty spooky vibe, very industrial, sets up something big from the sound of it.
ASCENSION: a climactic and hectic romp through a party at the end of the world. vince staples owns this track with some raw and brutal verses. 2d's own part is subdued yet provides a nice counterbalance. my one complaint is the song is a bit too repetitive.
STROBELITE: a peppy and smooth club track. peven everett gives a soulful performance to contrast against the mechanical and metallic undertones. when the track really gets going it's an uplifting and groovy experience that reminds me of sonic in some weird way. it gets pretty chaotic around the three minute mark in a way that i appreciate as well.
SATURNZ BARZ: a dark, gritty and edgy adventure through a spirited landscape. popcaan's autotune fits surprisingly well with the tone of the track. 2d's haunting verse is held up with a booming choir and swelling pads. definitely the clint eastwood of this record, in that both have that element of despair to them.
MOMENTZ: don't let the beginning mislead you, this track is nowhere near cheerful. de la soul's rhythmic and auto-tuned raps are overlaid against a distorted and booming beat. discordant synths and pitch-shifted vocals screaming out the titular MOMENTZ contribute to an air of unease, juxtaposed with the bouncy and airy atmosphere provided by the synths.
THE NON-CONFORMIST OATH: pretty funny, all there is to say about it.
SUBMISSION: a serious and determined chord progression creates a track to ponder to (and at.) kelela's numerous contributions to the song help give it a feeling of wonder that is distorted by the trippy ambience later on. danny brown comes onto the track hard and fast, injecting it and the bubbly synths with newfound energy.
CHARGER: an absolute banger. grace jones gives the song a spooky and nightmarish atmosphere, which is expanded on by 2d's voice almost sounding like it was put through a blender. the chugging guitar and slow, plodding beat really give this song a feeling of rock and roll, almost? the song also gets very ethereal toward the end in a way i really dig. definitely the experimental song of the record.
ELEVATOR GOIN' UP: to put it simply, the best song on the record. an epic thirteen minutes long, this post-rock opera has one of the most heartfelt and epic 2d solos the band has ever put out. do *not* miss this one.
ANDROMEDA: a trippy and peppy drive-by of the rings on a distant planet. a mournful ode to family lost and lovers gained, 2d really shines on this one. i really like the way the synths throughout this song interact with each other. the ending of this song is great as well, with 2d creating his own choir in a way. (also i have no idea where dram is on this one so forgive me)
BUSTED AND BLUE: 2d's only solo performance on the record. you can hear the age behind his voice now, weary and battered from a lifetime of memories he'd rather forget. much more subdued and quiet than the rest of the tracks so far, and all the more powerful because of it. i love the chord progression as well, set in place by a quiet electric piano.
TALK RADIO: what do i say about this. i honestly have no clue.
CARNIVAL: the chaos is back in full swing. a bouncing and whirling beat is given some form of a soul by anthony hamilton's appearance. reminds me almost of 80s synth horror in a way. it has that drive to it. as the song draws nearer and nearer to its climax, strings also come in to give the song some flavor. pretty good, honestly.
LET ME OUT: an inspiring and solemn reminder of where we are and where we're headed. mavis staples gives the song much-needed spirit, warning of change to come. pusha t provides some quick and well-said political commentary as well, with 2d adding to the song in his own way. all in all the song is a grim warning, yet with some hope in its reach.
PENTHOUSE:
SEX MURDER PARTY: much less violent and clashing than i thought it would be, given the name. very minimalist in its execution, at least until 2d comes on to the track. then it turns into something more lighthearted, a feeling that doesn't last for long as jamie principle tells his story of how he's caught up in his "masquerade" of a life filled with excess. zebra katz has some choice things to say about the partying lifestyle as well in his verse.
SHE'S MY COLLAR: a plucky and rhythmic assault on the ears as you're thrust into unfamiliar territory. it has an interesting drive to it that's complimented by the brief synth stabs and faint choir. kali uchis gives the song an alien edge as she and 2d trade verses as well. very nice, this one. don't miss it.
THE ELEPHANT: something something confetti.
HALLELUJAH MONEY: a hypocritical and haunting ode and attack to and against greed, gluttony, and government. benjamin clementine's haunting and unsettling performance steal the show here, perhaps dethroned only by 2d's cry to return to the natural order. although i am still not a huge fan of some of the wackier instrumentation, i will concede that it grew on me. the ending is the best part by far.
WE GOT THE POWER: a perfect ending; an inspiring and thrilling anthem for change and progress. all of the strife detailed throughout this album can be resolved if we put our minds to it. the powerful and epic synths are complimented by the veritable choir of backing singers 2d got for this one. also, gotta love that bell.
~~~
NEW WORLD: what even is happening. a melting pot of synth, a cacophonous landscape. what a weird way to start the deluxe edition.
THE APPRENTICE: one of the best songs on the album, for sure. rag'n'bone man provides gentle yet powerful vocals to a beat with swagger and style. the chorus is dynamic and inventive, further complimented by ray blk's verse later on. zebra katz's contribution, while curiously censored, isn't that bad either.
HALFWAY TO THE HALFWAY HOUSE: although it's a bunch of weird noise at first, the track soon coalesces into something unsettling yet purposeful. peven everett gives the song an ethereal quality. the song really has a feeling of being in a psych ward, with the spooky chorus and the ominous synth backdrops. i quite like when the song is lifted up by sweeping and swelling pads near the end.
OUT OF BODY: is this asmr? this sounds exactly like asmr. i'm not going to pretend i know who is contributing to this one when, but i will say this song is much different than any of the other songs so far. it feels much more like a club beat, yet still maintains that spooky gorillaz feel to it. it also gets surprisingly soulful around the 2:35 mark. an interesting experience for sure.
TICKER TAPE: a peaceful and slow stroll through a decaying landscape. playful whistling is played against sighing bass hits and actual sighs. 2d shines here on his own, waiting for "the cavalcade to come again" (whatever that means.) carly simon's verses fit right in with 2d's own, curiously pitch-shifted to provide some odd atmosphere.
CIRCLE OF FRIENDZ: an ambient cityscape at first, punctuated with shattered glass and high-pitched strings. it transforms into a curiously happy tune to round out the album, seemingly describing a look at the new world created on these bonus tracks. although not as energetic or powerful as we got the power, this track makes for a good ending in its own way. just like demon days, the last thing you hear is a chorus fading fast before it all stops.

all in all: damon set out to make a club record detailing the end of the world. in that regard, he succeeded. the album is chaotic, breakneck, mournful, hopeful, inspiring, and a little bit frightening. the hooks are catchy almost always and suitably epic when they need to be. when damon allows himself to take center stage the result is something beautiful. but these momentz (ha) are few and far between, with busted and blue being the only track sans a collaborator. this album could have definitely benefited with the focus being slightly more on the band behind the sound in the first place. another subject i disagree with is the instrumentation, lacking any acoustic instruments (or so i've been told.) i think the slightly minimalist production, although it worked with the fall, did not work as well here in some aspects. finally, i think the transitions were honestly not up to par in terms of gorillaz' usual stuff. that's the only part of the album i can say for sure disappointed me.

despite my complaints, this was a solid release from gorillaz after seven years and i think it was worth the wait. i will still have to give time for this album to really grow on me, but for now i'm comfortable giving this album a strong 7 to light 8 out of 10.

STANDOUT TRACKS:

Strobelite
Saturnz Barz
Charger
Andromeda
Busted and Blue
She's My Collar
The Apprentice