The latest single from the virtual group’s ongoing Song Machine series features UK rapper Octavian.
Gorillaz are back with their fifth new single of 2020. ‘Friday 13th’ is billed as the fourth episode in the Song Machine series, meaning last month’s ‘How Far?’ was a non-album track.
Damon Albarn and co.’s latest single features Drake’s favourite rapper, Octavian. Like the series’ previous entries, the track plays to the guest’s strengths. Albarn and Remi Kabaka Jr provide a spare, downbeat groove for Octavian to vocalise about “drinkin’ and smokin’ too much.” Octavian also features prominently in track’s music video.
Gorillaz announced Song Machine in late January, calling it a music and animation series that’d roll out over the course of 2020. They also indicated the project would feature an “ever-evolving roster” of guests, suggesting it wasn’t completely tied up in the way a conventional album would’ve been.
Each episode comes packaged with a unique music video consisting of live footage and Jamie Hewlett’s unmistakable animations. They’re also supplemented by Machine Bitez clips – “bitesized conversations between cartoon band members and real life collaborators.” A total of eight Machine Bitez have been released so far.
Song Machine episode one, ‘Momentary Bliss’, featured UK punk rock duo Slaves and politically charged rapper slowthai. Episode two, the disco-soul number ‘Désolé’, featured vocals from French-Malian musician Fatoumata Diawara. Episode three arrived in early April and included ex-New Order bassist Peter Hook and UK alt-pop singer Georgia.
Then in early May came ‘How Far?’, featuring the late Afrobeat pioneer Tony Allen and rapper Skepta. Albarn brought forward the song’s release date in the wake of Allen’s death. Albarn and Allen had previously united in The Good, the Bad and the Queen and Albarn sang lead vocals on ‘Go Back’ from Allen’s excellent 2014 record Film of Life.
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As for Octavian, his latest single ‘Poison’ arrived in the April. He was joined on the track by Take a Daytrip, Obongjayar and Santi.
Check out ‘Friday 13th’ by Gorillaz feat. Octavian:
