Indian collaborations shape Gorillaz’s new album ‘The Mountain’

Gorillaz have announced their ninth studio album, ‘The Mountain’, due out on March 20, 2026—the first release on their new label, KONG.

The record spans 15 tracks and was shaped in part by extended recording sessions across India, in Mumbai, New Delhi, Rajasthan and Varanasi.

The first single, ‘The Happy Dictator’ featuring Sparks, was already released on September 11, 2025.

As the official release announcement states: “Circumstances now find Murdoc Niccals, Russel Hobbs, 2D and Noodle in India, having made their way to Mumbai with the help of four fake passports courtesy of a New York business acquaintance of Murdoc. The band has turned its back on international pop stardom, with our heroes now immersed in the rhythms of mystical music-making, as they navigate the mountainous terrain of this thing called life.”

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While the album features many notable collaborators such as The Smiths’ Johnny Marr, IDLES, and Omar Souleyman, Indian and Bollywood musicians play a central role in the project.

Legendary playback singer Asha Bhosle joins ‘The Shadowy Light’, alongside sarod maestros Amaan Ali and Ayaan Ali Bangash and flautist Ajay Prasanna, who also contributes to the title track.

Prasanna also plays on ‘The Sweet Prince’ and ‘The Sad God’, bringing Indian classical textures into the mix.

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Jazz icon Asha Puthli appears on ‘The Moon Cave’, while Anoushka Shankar features across several songs of the album.

India’s influence can also be seen in the artwork by Jamie Hewlett, capturing Murdoc, 2D, Noodle and Russel in hand-drawn scenes, with “mountain” written in Devanagari script.

Pre-save the album here.

Tracklist:

1. ‘The Mountain’ (feat. Dennis Hopper, Ajay Prasanna, Anoushka Shankar, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash)
2. ‘The Moon Cave’ (feat. Asha Puthli, Bobby Womack, Dave Jolicoeur, Jalen Ngonda and Black Thought)
3. ‘The Happy Dictator’ (feat. Sparks)
4. ‘The Hardest Thing’ (feat. Tony Allen)
5. ‘Orange County’ (feat. Bizarrap, Kara Jackson and Anoushka Shankar)
6. ‘The God of Lying’ (feat. IDLES)
7. ‘The Empty Dream Machine’ (feat. Black Thought, Johnny Marr and Anoushka Shankar)
8. ‘The Manifesto’ (feat. Trueno and Proof)
9. ‘The Plastic Guru’ (feat. Johnny Marr and Anoushka Shankar)
10. ‘Delirium’ (feat. Mark E. Smith)
11. ‘Damascus’ (feat. Omar Souleyman and Yasiin Bey)
12. ‘The Shadowy Light’ (feat. Asha Bhosle, Gruff Rhys, Ajay Prasanna, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash)
13. ‘Casablanca’ (feat. Paul Simonon and Johnny Marr)
14. ‘The Sweet Prince’ (feat. Ajay Prasanna, Johnny Marr and Anoushka Shankar)
15. ‘The Sad God’ (feat. Black Thought, Ajay Prasanna and Anoushka Shankar)

Amira Waworuntu is Mixmag Asia’s Managing Editor, follow her on Instagram.

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