Plastic Beach by Gorillaz
Plastic Beach is the third studio album by British virtual band and supergroup Gorillaz, released 3 March 2010 on Parlophone and Virgin Records. Conceived from an unfinished Gorillaz project called Carousel, the album was recorded during June 2008 to November 2009 and produced primarily by group co-creator Damon Albarn. It features guest appearances by several artists, including Snoop Dogg, Gruff Rhys, De La Soul, Bobby Womack, Mos Def, Lou Reed, Mick Jones, Mark E. Smith, Paul Simonon, Bashy, Kano, Little Dragon and the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble. The album debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart, selling 74,000 copies in its first week. In the United States, it debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 112,000 copies, and it also charted within the top-ten in several other countries. Plastic Beach received generally positive reviews from most music critics.
With its sultry, throbbing bassline, genre-defying melodic turns and surprising guests, “Stylo” arguably represents Gorillaz' entire sonic approach in microcosm. But while this hypnotic blast of future-soul—propelled by guest vocals from Mos Def and Bobby Womack—is an undoubted high point, it’s by no means the only rich pleasure on this epic, dizzyingly collaborative third album. Inspired by experimentation with opera and bolstered by more fantasy cameos (including Lou Reed), it’s the virtual band’s boldest statement yet.
