Music This week

From his woohoo days with the alternative rock band Blur to conceptualising the virtual cartoon band Gorillaz,Damon Albarn has come a full swing,with retro-futuristic sounds interfaced through a digital world.

Gorillaz,with its fictional,animated members,is a result of a cerebral wiring between the actual members vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Albarn and comic-book artist Jamie Hewlet. Plastic Beach is a synthesised rush of refreshing sounds and tracks with an attitude,which have defined their earlier two albums. It is also about Albarns neo-ecological revelations: one being plastic comes out of nature as opposed to being against nature a strange kind of optimism.

But the virtual band is a melting pot of alternative luscious tones and virtuoso songwriting from hip-hop in tracks like Sweepstakes to monstrous synth tones gulping through decorated keyboard progressions in Glitter Freeze to unbridled retro-pop aspirations and a brass ensemble. This is a 16-track extravaganza,with artists like Lou Reed,Snoop Dogg,The Clash guitarist Mick Jones and Bobby Womack appearing to deliver a smashing record.

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