New this week:
- Song Machine Episode 2 is Finally Here!
- Gorgeous New Art
- Tasty New Bitez
- Interviewz
- Episode 3 Teaser đ
- Gorillaz Feature on More Playlists
- New Shirt and Print Available
- GorillazRaritez and Kong – Redux!
- Two-Toned Trailer
- Fanart
Song Machine Episode 2 is Finally Here!
Gorillaz have NO reason to apologize for their latest episode of Song Machine – DĂ©solĂ© ft. Fatoumata Diawara. DĂ©solĂ© (which means ‘sorry’ in French) is a beautiful and uplifting – yet melancholy – tune that’s sung in three languages: English, French and Bambara.
The episode features 2D, Damon and special guest Fatoumata on a speedboat in Lake Como, Italy. Noodle and Russ join in on the fun, but poor Murdoc is left behind…
Watch the video below!
Russel on Désolé (from NastyLittleMan):
âMaking DĂ©solĂ© with Fatou was a real moment for me, you know. Sheâs an African Queen. This lady made the song what it is, beautiful, like life. What can I say about DĂ©solĂ©? They say sorry is the hardest word, but thatâs not true⊠Try saying antidisestablishmentarianism with a mouth full of gluten free cronuts on a speed boat without licking your lips.â
We got to see some sneak peaks of the filming of this video back in SEPTEMBER, when an Italian publication announced Gorillaz and Fatoumata were filming a video on Lake Como. It’s great to see it finally come to life; so many great shots, beautiful animation, gorgeous song!
I should also mention that the radio single is considerably shorter on Spotify (and on Youtube below). If you want to hear the whole song, make sure to watch the episode!
Gorgeous New Art
We should expect to see a new piece of promotional artwork along with the episode every single month. Check out THIS beauty:
Jamie also posted just Noodle on his Instagram:
We’re likely to see these images re-used throughout the month while they continue to promote DĂ©solĂ©!
Tasty New Bitez
Machine Bite 4 was released pre-episode 2, as sort of a wrap-up to Momentary Bliss:
Machine Bite 5 was then released along with Désolé:
Interviewz
In this Clash Music article, Noodle interviewed Fatoumata Diawara about Désolé, hometowns, and favorite places.
We also heard an interview this week between Damon and France Inter. It’s admittedly hard to hear what Damon’s saying unless you know French! Tant pis…
Episode 3 Teaser đ
The end of each Song Machine episode ends with a teaser of what’s next. And THIS one has got people talking:
Many think that this may be the anticipated Tame Impala collab that was teased last month. Some fans noticed the guitar is very reminiscent of Joy Division/New Order – and I would have to agree! In fact, one fan mused about this on twitter and received a ‘like’ from Peter Hook (bassist and co-founder of Joy Division and New Order):
A ‘like’ doesn’t necessarily mean anything, but it’s fun to start playing the guessing game about next month’s collabs. What if it’s Tame Impala AND Peter Hook?
Gorillaz Feature on More Playlists
Gorillaz hit the front cover of two more playlists: Amazon’s Control ALT and Spotify’s The Other List:
Additionally, 2D is back in captain attire to promote Désolé on Deezer and Spotify:
New Shirt and Print Available
As soon as DĂ©solĂ© dropped, the Gorillaz store stocked some new goodies: 2D’s “Black Planet” T-shirt and a BEAUTIFUL new Song Machine Print:
You’d better BELIEVE I bought this print as soon as I saw it. It’s so beautifully retro! Jamie also posted the same image Noodle on his Instagram:
GorillazRaritiez and Kong – Redux!
If you’re following what’s happening in the fan community on Instagram, you’ve likely seen that account Gorillazraritiez have made a comeback. Gorillazraritiez are a team of Gorillaz fans dedicated to sharing forgotten media. This includes a complete revamp of the Kong Studios from 2001, which you can visit here. See the trailer for their project below:
Gorillazraritiez will be hosting competitions along with every major website update – in fact, there is one happening right now! Murdoc’s winnebago has been stolen, and it’s your job to draw the winnebago wherever you think it may be. See the post here for more information:
Winners will have their piece of media showcased on the website. With the release of Song Machine, this is such a cool time to bring Kong back. I’m in awe of the dedication of this team, and excited to see all the updates as they happen!
Two-Toned Trailer
A promotional video from the Kidrobot x Gorillaz 2007 2-Tone line has re-surfaced. Only 1000 of these babies were made, and they’re selling for high prices these days…
Fanart
Last but not least, here’s some of the fan art this week, celebrating DĂ©solĂ©!
Gorillazland 