Gorillaz Team With Malian Star Fatoumata Diawara for New Song 'Désolé'

and Malian musician Fatoumata Diawara venture to scenic Lake Como in Italy in the new video for their collaboration, “Désolé.” The track and video mark the second installment of the animated outfit’s “Song Machine” series.

“Désolé,” which means “sorry” in French, boasts a simmering groove that takes a delightfully dramatic turn toward the end with a steady swell of strings and horns. Diawara and Damon Albarn share vocal duties on the track, singing in English, French and Bambara.

In the clip for “Désolé,” Gorillaz discover a door in their Kong Studios that opens onto a dock in Lake Como. While Albarn and Diawara cruise around in a speedboat, the rest of the band enjoy the scenery, except for poor Murdoc who’s unable to cross the mysterious boundary between the studio and Lake Como.

“Making Désolé with Fatou was a real moment for me, you know,” Gorillaz drummer Russel Hobbs said. “She’s an African Queen. This lady made the song what it is, beautiful, like life. What can I say about ‘Désolé’? They say sorry is the hardest word, but that’s not true… Try saying antidisestablishmentarianism with a mouth full of gluten-free cronuts on a speed boat without licking your lips.”

Gorillaz launched “Song Machine” in January with “Momentary Bliss,” featuring British MC Slowthai and the punk duo Slaves. The new series will find the band moving outside the constraints of a typical album cycle as they team with an array of collaborators and drop new installments and music throughout the year.