Gorillaz have announced that their ongoing Song Machine Season 1 project will be released as a new album, Song Machine: Season One – Strange Timez, out October 23. The release will feature an extensive deluxe edition, hosting six more songs released in deluxe and super deluxe sets. A new single “Strange Timez,” featuring The Cure frontman Robert Smith, has also been released.
“Strange Timez” sees the Gorillaz animated members travel to the moon in a decked out space camper. The scenes on the moon takes cues from various science fiction classics, with Smith’s face superimposed on the moon in reference to the 1902 French classic Le Voyage dans la Lune, and an explosion turning into a black obelisk, in reference to the 1969 Stanley Kubrick classic 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Gorillaz step their genre bending up on this track, as Smith’s iconic goth vocals blend in well with the unique instrumental that takes its cues from dance music with its gritty bass infused beat, complemented by an eerie xylophone and keyboard line. “Strange Timez” chorus is infectious, driving the track’s rhythm in an upbeat fashion.
This latest single follows five previous Song Machine episodes: “Pac-Man” featuring Schoolboy Q, “Friday 13th” featuring Octavian, “Aries” featuring Peter Hook and Georgia, “Désolé” featuring Diawara and “Momentary Bliss” featuring slowthai and Slaves. The standard edition will host further features from Beck, Elton John, Georgia, Kano, Leee John, Roxani Arias, St Vincent and 6LACK. St. Vincent recently announced on social media that her track “Chalk Tablet Towers” will be out October 23.
The deluxe edition of the album will feature the song “How Far,” which hosts guest appearances from UK grime artist Skepta and the late afrobeat legend Tony Allen. Other guest features on this bountiful deluxe edition include CHAI, EARTHGANG, Goldlink, Joan As Police Woman, JPEGMAFIA, Moonchild Sanelly and Unknown Mortal Orchestra.
Song Machine: Season One – Strange Timez – track list:
1. Strange Timez (ft. Robert Smith)
2. The Valley of The Pagans (ft. Beck)
3. The Lost Chord (ft. Leee John)
4. Pac-Man (ft. ScHoolboy Q)
5. Chalk Tablet Towers (ft. St Vincent)
6. The Pink Phantom (ft. Elton John and 6LACK)
7. Aries (ft. Peter Hook and Georgia)
8. Friday 13 th (ft. Octavian)
9. Dead Butterflies (ft. Kano and Roxani Arias)
10. Désolé (ft. Fatoumata Diawara) (Extended Version)
11. Momentary Bliss (ft. slowthai and Slaves)
Deluxe – track list
1. Strange Timez (ft. Robert Smith)
2. The Valley of The Pagans (ft. Beck)
3. The Lost Chord (ft. Leee John)
4. Pac-Man (ft. ScHoolboy Q)
5. Chalk Tablet Towers (ft. St Vincent)
6. The Pink Phantom (ft. Elton John and 6LACK)
7. Aries (feat. Peter Hook and Georgia)
8. Friday 13 th (ft. Octavian)
9. Dead Butterflies (ft. Kano and Roxani Arias)
10. Désolé (ft. Fatoumata Diawara) (Extended Version)
11. Momentary Bliss (ft. slowthai and Slaves)
12. Opium (ft. EARTHGANG)
13. Simplicity (ft. Joan As Police Woman)
14. Severed Head (ft. Goldlink and Unknown Mortal Orchestra)
15. With Love To An Ex (ft. Moonchild Sanelly)
16. MLS (feat. JPEGMAFIA and CHAI)
17. How Far? (ft. Tony Allen and Skepta)
Leave a Comment