Last Friday, Gorillaz shared their eighth studio album Cracker Island. An album written as the animated band's co-founders continued production on a now-shelved animated film, Cracker Island saw Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett enlist a range of legends and modern stars like Stevie Nicks, Bad Bunny, Thundercat, and Beck.
The album's deluxe edition, released just a few days later, dives back into the Gorillaz catalog to reunite with two of the collaborators featured on some of their most popular music: Del The Funky Homosapian, who rapped on the band's debut single "Clint Eastwood," and De La Soul, featured on the Grammy-winning "Feel Good, Inc." Both songs are decidedly a showcase of where Gorillaz are now rather than a revisitation of the hits. "Crocodillaz" inspires a wide range of emotions thanks to the appearance of De La Soul's Trugoy The Dove, who passed away this month at 54.
However, its plucky and peppy D.A.I.S.Y. Age-inspired joy, bolstered by Dawn Penn's delirious guest vocals, is more grin than tear-inducing.
Things remain light on "Captain Chicken," where Del The Funky Homosapian crafts one of his singular Saturday morning cartoon-ready characters over a tense, dance-punk instrumental.
Read more on thefader.com