9.3/10
It really sucks that the MLB is most likely not happening this year, I’d love to see how far Gorillaz would go batting 1.000. So far, the song machine, a series of monthly tracks and music videos, is shaping up to become one of, if not their best projects to date and one of the best to come from any band this year. With the first 2 tracks, “Momentary Bliss” and “Desole”, we’ve seen stark sonic differences with each. Both tracks bring different vibes, but Gorillaz add their signature sound to each so well, whether it’s the bouncy synths on “Momentary Bliss” or Damon’s iconic vocals on “Desole.” They’ve shown an extremely solid blend of their last 2 albums, the hip-hop beats and themes from Humanz and the lo-fi synths from The Now Now. These tracks have shown so much promise from Gorillaz this year, and with their 3rd track “Aries”, we get, in my opinion, the best song so far. With it’s funky New Order type guitars, produced by New Order’s very own Peter Hook, along with the driving kick drum, it creates a very soothing vibe that pushes on for the tracks entire length. The bassline is extremely funky and catchy, proving itself to be the highlight of the song as it feels like a perfect fit in New Order’s discography. It’s accompanied by light, but layered synths and Damon’s tired and confined vocals, pushing the isolating expressions, but also representing the Gorillaz sound so well. Damon’s voice throughout the whole song is phenomenal, excelling in multiple ways. His vocals have a ton of variety throughout the whole track, poppy at some times and soothing at others. They all come together to create a solid theme of admiration from afar, one that is so relevant nowadays with COVID forcing self-isolation and causing uneasiness for practically everyone. While Damon sings about his need for a personal connection, he also knows that he must come to terms with this isolation. The isolation can easily restart some people’s depression, I feel it sometimes too, but tracks like ‘Aries’ reach down and disclose the same pain, helping us through these slow times.