Za virtuálnou štvoricou Gorillaz stojí spevák Damon Albarn zo skupiny Blur a komiksový ilustrátor Jamie Hewlett. Kapela vznikla v roku 1998 a spája alternatívny rock s hip-hopom, elektronikou i popom.
Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez vyšiel 23. októbra 2020 u vydavateľstva Parlophone ako siedmy štúdiový album skupiny. Nahrávka obsahuje 17 skladieb, ktoré Gorillaz postupne zverejňovali počas roka ako epizódy webového projektu Song Machine. Na albume hosťujú napríklad Robert Smith z The Cure, Elton John, zosnulý bubeník Tony Allen, britskí raperi Skepta, Kano a slowthai či punková dvojica Slaves. Toto jednodiskové CD obsahuje všetky skladby, ktoré vyšli aj v rozšírenej dvojitej vinylovej verzii.
V roku 2020 zostavu tvorili animované postavy 2D (spev, klávesy, melódika), Murdoc Niccals (basgitara, bicie automat), Noodle (sprievodné vokály, gitara, klávesy) a Russel Hobbs (bicie, perkusie).
Skladby
LP1
1. Strange Timez (feat. Robert Smith) [03:47]
2. The Valley of The Pagans (feat. Beck) [03:01]
3. The Lost Chord (feat. Leee John) [04:03]
4. Pac-Man (feat. ScHoolboy Q) [03:12]
5. Chalk Tablet Towers (feat. St Vincent) [03:02]
6. The Pink Phantom (feat. Elton John and 6LACK) [04:13]
7. Aries (feat. Peter Hook and Georgia) [04:13]
8. Friday 13th (feat. Octavian) [03:35]
9. Dead Butterflies (feat. Kano and Roxani Arias) [04:33]
10. Désolé (feat. Fatoumata Diawara) [Extended Version] [05:33]
11. Momentary Bliss (feat. slowthai and Slaves) [03:41]
LP2
1. Opium (feat. EARTHGANG) [06:50]
2. Simplicity (feat. Joan As Police Woman) [02:44]
3. Severed Head (feat. Goldlink and Unknown Mortal Orchestra) [03:34]
4. With Love To An Ex (feat. Moonchild Sanelly) [03:01]
5. MLS (feat. JPEGMAFIA and CHAI) [03:13]
6. How Far? (feat. Tony Allen and Skepta) [02:46]
CD1
1. Strange Timez (feat. Robert Smith) [03:47]
2. The Valley of The Pagans (feat. Beck) [03:01]
3. The Lost Chord (feat. Leee John) [04:03]
4. Pac-Man (feat. ScHoolboy Q) [03:12]
5. Chalk Tablet Towers (feat. St Vincent) [03:02]
6. The Pink Phantom (feat. Elton John and 6LACK) [04:13]
7. Aries (feat. Peter Hook and Georgia) [04:13]
8. Friday 13th (feat. Octavian) [03:35]
9. Dead Butterflies (feat. Kano and Roxani Arias) [04:33]
10. Désolé (feat. Fatoumata Diawara) [Extended Version] [05:33]
11. Momentary Bliss (feat. slowthai and Slaves) [03:41]
12. Opium (feat. EARTHGANG) [06:50]
13. Simplicity (feat. Joan As Police Woman) [02:44]
14. Severed Head (feat. Goldlink and Unknown Mortal Orchestra) [03:34]
15. With Love To An Ex (feat. Moonchild Sanelly) [03:01]
16. MLS (feat. JPEGMAFIA and CHAI) [03:13]
17. How Far? (feat. Tony Allen and Skepta) [02:46]
