Gorillaz has officially revealed their upcoming album, ‘The Mountain,’ along with a UK and Ireland tour and a new single titled ‘The Happy Dictator,’ featuring the band Sparks.
Following a secretive debut during their recent four-show residency at London’s Copper Box Arena, where fans were asked to leave their phones behind, the animated band led by Damon Albarn shared details about the album. Attendees took to social media to discuss the exciting special guests featured on the record.
Set for release on March 20, 2026, ‘The Mountain’ will be the first project from Gorillaz’s new label, KONG. Pre-orders are available here.
Today (September 11), they offered a sneak peek of the album with ‘The Happy Dictator,’ a theatrical collaboration with Sparks. The track features shining lines from Albarn: “No more bad news, so you can sleep well at night and the palace of your mind will be bright.” Check out the lyric video below:
In conjunction with the album announcement, Gorillaz will embark on a UK and Ireland tour kicking off in March 2026, with performances scheduled in Manchester, Glasgow, Leeds, Cardiff, Nottingham, Liverpool, Belfast, and Dublin. A special headline show will take place at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, featuring Sparks and Trueno as supports.
For a complete list of tour dates and additional ticket info, visit here.
Gorillaz’ ‘The Mountain Tour’ Dates:
MARCH
21 – Co-op Live, Manchester
22 – BP Pulse Live, Birmingham
24 – OVO Hydro, Glasgow (support from Trueno)
25 – First Direct Arena, Leeds
27 – Utilitia Arena, Cardiff (support from Trueno)
28 – Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham (support from Trueno)
29 – M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool (support from Trueno)
31 – SSE Arena, Belfast
APRIL
1 – 3Arena, Dublin (support from Trueno)
JUNE
20 – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London (support from Sparks and Trueno)
In addition to the collaborations previously mentioned, ‘The Mountain’ will feature artists such as Black Thought, Omar Souleyman, Asha Puthli, Asha Bhosle, Gruff Rhys, and many more, celebrating a diverse range of musical influences.
The London Arab Orchestra, Demon Strings, Chris Storr, James Copus, and Matthew Gunner also contributed, while posthumous contributions come from notable artists like Dennis Hopper, Bobby Womack, and Mark E. Smith.
The full tracklist is as follows:
- The Mountain (Feat. Dennis Hopper, Ajay Prasanna, Anushka Shankar, Amaan Ali Bangash, Ayaan Ali Bangash)
- The Moon Cave (feat. Asha Puthli, Bobby Womack, Dave Jolicoeur, Jalen Ngonda, Black Thought)
- The Happy Dictator (feat. Sparks)
- The Hardest Thing (feat. Tony Allen)
- Orange County (feat. Bizarrap, Kara Jackson, Anoushka Shankar)
- The God of Lying (feat. IDLES)
- The Empty Dream Machine (feat. Black Thought, Johnny Marr, Anoushka Shankar)
- The Manifesto (feat. Trueno, Proof)
- The Plastic Guru (feat. Johnny Marr, Anoushka Shankar)
- Delirium (feat. Mark E. Smith)
- Damascus (feat. Omar Souleyman)
- The Shadowy Light (feat. Asha Bhosle, Gruff Rhys, Ajay Prasanna, Amaan Ali Bangash, Ayaan Ali Bangash)
- Felm (feat. [Artist not specified])
- The Sweet Prince (feat. Ajay Prasanna, Johnny Marr, Anoushka Shankar)
- The Sad God (feat. Black Thought, Ajay Prasanna, Anoushka Shankar)
The album embraces a multicultural feel, with performances in multiple languages, including Arabic, English, Hindi, Spanish, and Yoruba. Attendees from the London show shared that the album features strong Indian influences alongside other sounds from South Asia and the Middle East.
Check out the album cover and more reactions below:
This exciting new era for Gorillaz continues to evolve, with their recent shows celebrating their 25th anniversary and offering fans a glimpse into their journey since the release of their iconic debut single in 2000.
Stay tuned for future updates, including their relaunch of Kong Studios as an online video game!
