Gorillaz Debut 'Song Machine' Series With 'Momentary Bliss'

have launched their music and video series, “Song Machine,” with a jittery new tune, “Momentary Bliss,” featuring British MC Slowthai and the punk duo Slaves.

The song finds Gorillaz and Slaves crafting a tune that builds deftly from woozy synth-pop into a rambunctious bit of supermelodic pop punk (tinged, even, with a bit of ska). Slowthai handles the majority of the vocals on the song with compelling dexterity, riding the pockets within the scrappy guitar riffs like a skilled MC, then bellowing over them like a seasoned hardcore singer.

“Momentary Bliss” arrived with a video that captures the recording of the track, with Damon Albarn, Slowthai, Slaves, and others working diligently alongside the animated members of Gorillaz.

“Momentary Bliss” marks Gorillaz’s first new music since their 2018 album, The Now Now. The “Song Machine” series will find the band moving outside the constraints of a typical album cycle, with the animated outfit teaming with an an array of collaborators and dropping new installments and music throughout the year.