Monkey — Journey To The West

Damon Albarn continues to distance himself from Blur and the entire Brit-pop establishment with his latest foray into modern world music. Monkey is the soundtrack to a "circus opera" of the same name, and Albarn directs primarily Chinese musicians into creating these sinister soundscapes. The songs provide apt audio accompaniment to the smudgy works of U.K. comic artist and Albarn's Gorillaz co-conspirator Jamie Hewlett, who worked with Albarn on the stage show. It's all very obscure, so I'd recommend doing some online research to learn more about the project. The music is light on hooks and heavy on drama, as Albarn proves himself provincial in his ability to adapt a wide range of musical styles and whittle them into something that's still tangible for the average listener. This is really only recommended for Gorillaz superfans and Albarn completists. The album is a notable curiosity, if nothing else.

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