“The God of Dying”, the latest taste of the Gorillaz’s forthcoming album, The Mountain, sees the cartoon band call on British icons Idles to help unpack the album’s overarching themes of mortality and uncertainty. It’s an inspired pairing with Idles frontperson Joe Talbot, who ruminates on life, death, and society, clearly reveling in the joy of collaborating with one of the most musically diverse bands of the last 25 years.
Musically, it’s an electro-dub song full of all the things that make Gorillaz intriguing. Loose synth lines playfully skirt around strutting bass, all held together by another effortless Damon Albarn vocal hook. Overall, it’s the sound of Gorillaz at their most innovative yet reassuringly familiar.