THE MOUNTAIN
- Gorillaz Expresso
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
NEW STUDIO ALBUM TITLED
The Mountain
COMING MARCH 20, 2026
FIRST TRACK
“The Happy Dictator” (feat. Sparks)
OUT NOW!
THE MOUNTAIN TOUR 2026
UK & IRELAND ARENA TOUR
OPENING MARCH 21st, 2026 IN MANCHESTER
PLUS FIRST HEADLINE STADIUM SHOW
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR STADIUM
SATURDAY JUNE 20th, 2026
WITH SUPPORT ARTISTS
SPARKS AND TRUENO
TOUR TICKETS & INFORMATION AT GORILLAZ.COM
Gorillaz will release a brand new studio album titled The Mountain on March 20th, 2026, the first on the band’s own new label KONG. First track “The Happy Dictator (feat. Sparks)” is out now, listen HERE. Watch visualizer HERE.
The Mountain is Gorillaz’ ninth studio album, an expansive sonic landscape of instruments and sounds, richly layered with voices, melodies and addictive beats, spanning a collection of 15 songs that embody the very essence of Gorillaz’ collaborative ethos. The record features an extraordinary list of artists and collaborators including: Ajay Prasanna, Amaan & Ayaan Ali Bangash, Anoushka Shankar, Asha Bhosle, Asha Puthli, Bizarrap, Black Thought, Gruff Rhys, IDLES, Jalen Ngonda, Johnny Marr, Kara Jackson, Omar Souleyman, Paul Simonon, Sparks, Trueno and Yasiin Bey; as well as the voices of friends and collaborators who have gone before us, including Bobby Womack, Dave Jolicoeur, Dennis Hopper, Mark E Smith, Proof and Tony Allen. The Mountain is a playlist for a party on the border between this world and whatever happens next, exploring the journey of life and the thrill of existence.
Produced by Gorillaz, James Ford, Samuel Egglenton and Remi Kabaka Jr., plus Bizarrap (Orange County), The Mountain was recorded at Studio 13 in London and Devon, various locations in India including Mumbai, New Delhi, Rajasthan and Varanasi, as well as Ashgabat, Damascus, Los Angeles, Miami and New York. The album features artists performing in five languages: Arabic, English, Hindi, Spanish and Yoruba.
The artwork for The Mountain sees visual artist Jamie Hewlett’s distinctive, yet ever-evolving, style illustrate the world of Gorillaz with detailed and beautiful intricacy across a series of hand-drawn images which capture Murdoc, Noodle, Russel and 2D’s time in India working on the new album, available both as a book and as a collection of 12×12 prints.
“A quarter of a century on, Albarn and Hewlett are still legions ahead of the pack.” — LONDON EVENING STANDARD
Today’s announcement also comes with news of The Mountain Tour which will visit arenas across the UK and Ireland in Spring 2026, with support from Trueno on selected dates, and follows the sold-out 5-star House of Kong exhibition and four triumphant performances at Copper Box Arena which saw The Guardian hail Gorillaz as “still riveting and relevant”, and included a very special surprise performance of The Mountain for fans at last week’s Mystery Show. The Mountain Tour will kick off in Manchester on March 21st, 2026, with dates in Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Cardiff, Nottingham, Liverpool, Belfast and Dublin; plus a one-off headline show at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday June 20th, 2026, with support from Sparks and Trueno. Dates and ticket information below and at Gorillaz.com
Circumstances now find Murdoc Niccals, Russel Hobbs, 2D and Noodle in India, having made their way to Mumbai with the help of four fake passports courtesy of a New York business acquaintance of Murdoc. The band has turned its back on international pop stardom, with our heroes now immersed in the rhythms of mystical music-making, as they navigate the mountainous terrain of this thing called life.
Gorillaz drummer Russel Hobbs said – “As space dust we are here forever and that’s a mighty long time. This is a musical meditation infused with light. A journey of the soul, with beats…“
This week, fans around the world celebrated the long-awaited return of Kong Studios – the home of Gorillaz. The band’s HQ since early 2000 (before falling into disrepair and eventually being burnt to the ground by Murdoc in 2008), the original Kong Studios was a ground-breaking virtual gathering place for fans, allowing them to connect and explore the band’s living quarters and recording studio, listen to music, play games, fight zombies, and much more. Now faithfully restored to its former glory, Kong Studios is back with a fresh lick of paint as a gamified, online fan experience. Visit Kong Studios.
The Mountain – Album Tracklisting:
The Mountain (feat. Dennis Hopper, Ajay Prasanna, Anoushka Shankar, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash)
The Moon Cave (feat. Asha Puthli, Bobby Womack, Dave Jolicoeur, Jalen Ngonda and Black Thought)
The Happy Dictator (feat. Sparks)
The Hardest Thing (feat. Tony Allen)
Orange County (feat. Bizarrap, Kara Jackson and Anoushka Shankar)
The God of Lying (feat. IDLES)
The Empty Dream Machine (feat. Black Thought, Johnny Marr and Anoushka Shankar)
The Manifesto (feat. Trueno and Proof)
The Plastic Guru (feat. Johnny Marr and Anoushka Shankar)
Delirium (feat. Mark E. Smith)
Damascus (feat. Omar Souleyman and Yasiin Bey)
The Shadowy Light (feat. Asha Bhosle, Gruff Rhys, Ajay Prasanna, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash)
Casablanca (feat. Paul Simonon and Johnny Marr)
The Sweet Prince (feat. Ajay Prasanna, Johnny Marr and Anoushka Shankar)’
The Sad God (feat. Black Thought, Ajay Prasanna and Anoushka Shankar)
The Mountain will be available in the following formats: Digital Download; Standard CD; Deluxe 2CD (incl. selection of Mystery Show live tracks); Standard Vinyl; Hardback Book Vinyl Edition; Limited Edition Collectors Box (incl. Art Prints). Pre-order at GORILLAZ.COM
Gorillaz – The Mountain Tour 2026 – Dates:
March 21 – MANCHESTER, Co-op Live
March 22 – BIRMINGHAM, bp pulse LIVE
March 24 – GLASGOW, OVO Hydro*
March 25 – LEEDS, First Direct Arena*
March 27 – CARDIFF, Utilita Arena*
March 28 – NOTTINGHAM, Motorpoint Arena*
March 29 – LIVERPOOL, M&S Bank Arena*
March 31 – BELFAST, SSE Arena*
April 1 – DUBLIN, 3Arena*
*support from Trueno
June 20 – LONDON, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
With support from Sparks and Trueno
The Mountain Tour – Tickets and Information: www.gorillaz.com
Gorillaz mailing list presale begins 11am BST on Wednesday September 17th. This presale will only be accessible to those who register in advance before 5pm BST on Tuesday, September 16th. General on sale begins 11am BST on Friday, September 19th.
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