Gorillaz co-creators Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett was interviewed by Radio X's Dan O'Connell about the band's new album The Mountain, that will be released in early 2026.
The project, moved slightly ahead of its initial schedule, is shaping up to be their most spiritually profound and unexpectedly joyful work yet, born from a period of deep personal loss. The album's central theme was catalyzed by the death of both Albarn’s and Hewlett’s fathers in a short period.
This shared grief sent Albarn on a series of trips to India, where he found inspiration in the country's open and celebratory rituals around death, such as the cremation ceremonies on the Ganges.
The goal for The Mountain is to explore death without fear, framing it as a natural cycle and aiming to make listeners feel more at ease with the subject. This philosophical approach is woven directly into the music. The creative process involved revisiting archival recordings from past collaborators who have passed away, including saxophonist Marqueis Smith and D12's Proof, weaving their posthumous contributions into new songs.
The album also features a host of living legends, with confirmed collaborations from Indian playback singer Asha Bhosle and sitarist Anoushka Shankar, whose contributions add to the record's depth.
Reflecting on 25 years of Gorillaz, Albarn cites key collaborators like the late Bobby Womack and Dennis Hopper, while noting that his favorite track remains the very first single, "Tomorrow Comes Today."
The duo emphasized their preference for always moving forward creatively rather than dwelling on past works. To bring this new material to life, Gorillaz will embark on a major UK tour starting in March 2026.
The band is set to play their biggest-ever UK show at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in June, with a capacity of approximately 65,000.
The tour is described as a logistical challenge, requiring nine buses for performers and equipment, but is designed to be a dynamic and evolving live experience.
Albarn praised the essential role of their predominantly female management team in orchestrating the massive undertaking.
The Mountain represents Gorillaz at their most resilient - transforming personal grief into a collective, celebratory, and genre-bending album that confronts life's biggest questions with a vibrant and hopeful energy.
Watch the interview below
