Maya Ellison
Plastic Beach is the third studio album by the English virtual band Gorillaz, released on 3 March 2010. The album contains 16 songs and was produced primarily by group co-creator Damon Albarn. Plastic Beach features collaborations with several artists, including Snoop Dogg, Gruff Rhys, De La Soul, Bobby Womack, Mos Def, Lou Reed, and Mark E. Smith. The album explores environmentalist themes, presenting the titular Plastic Beach as a secret accumulation of plastic in the ocean. With a mix of punk, reggae, and hip-hop influences, Plastic Beach offers a unique listening experience with a worldwide collage of sounds and snapshots of the world.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the album | Plastic Beach |
| Band | Gorillaz |
| Type of album | Studio album |
| Album release date | 3 March 2010 |
| Number of tracks | 16 |
| Record labels | Parlophone (international and UK), Virgin Records (US) |
| Album recording period | June 2008 to November 2009 |
| Album recording locations | London, New York City, and Damascus |
| Producers | Group co-creator Damon Albarn |
| Album themes | Environmentalist, accumulation of plastic |
| Album collaborators | Snoop Dogg, Gruff Rhys, De La Soul, Bobby Womack, Mos Def, Lou Reed, Mark E. Smith, Bashy, Kano, Little Dragon, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble |
| Singles released | Stylo, Superfast Jellyfish, On Melancholy Hill, Rhinestone Eyes, White Flag |
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What You'll Learn
The album's environmental themes
Gorillaz's "Plastic Beach" is an album with strong environmental themes. The title itself combines the synthetic, man-made material "plastic" with the natural landscape of a "beach", setting the tone for the album's exploration of environmental issues. Damon Albarn, the co-creator of Gorillaz, drew inspiration for the album from a beach near his house, where he observed the prevalence of plastic pollution in the sand. He further elaborated on the concept during a trip to Mali, where he visited a landfill and witnessed the contrasting ways that rubbish was managed compared to his home country of England.
The album adopts the concept of a "secret floating island deep in the South Pacific", made up of the "detritus, debris, and washed-up remnants of humanity", inspired by the real-life issue of marine pollution, specifically the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Through its lyrics, the album delves into the consequences of rampant consumerism, the influence of mass media in shaping consumption patterns, and the hollowness of celebrity culture. It presents a world where plastic pollution has become a pervasive force, with plastic bags dancing in the wind like ghostly figures, serving as a stark reminder of our throwaway culture.
Albarn and his collaborators use fictionality and polyphony as strategic devices to empower the album's environmental message. By presenting a fictional world of pollution and cultural indifference, the album explores multiple perspectives on the central theme. This approach allows listeners to engage with the characters and actively participate in interpreting the message. Despite the fictional setting, the environmental narrative of "Plastic Beach" reflects the real-world issues we face, inviting fans to unite around the theme of environmentalism.
The album employs an eclectic mix of musical styles, including electronic, synth-pop, hip-hop, funk, and orchestral influences. This fusion of genres, along with collaborations with artists like Lou Reed and Bobby Womack, adds urgency and authenticity to the environmental message. "Plastic Beach" serves as a cautionary tale, urging listeners to question their consumption habits, hold corporations accountable for their role in environmental degradation, and strive for a more sustainable future.
In October 2020, Albarn expressed his intention to create a direct sequel to "Plastic Beach", citing "the need to keep reminding people that we need to change our habits" as his primary motivation. While the original album faced challenges in terms of songfulness, or the ability to mobilize listeners politically, Albarn's continued dedication to exploring environmental themes in his music demonstrates the enduring relevance and impact of "Plastic Beach".
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''Orchestral Intro' and other tracks
The third studio album by British virtual band Gorillaz, Plastic Beach, was released on March 3, 2010. The album was produced by co-creator Damon Albarn and features a large roster of guest artists, including Snoop Dogg, Bobby Womack, Mos Def, Lou Reed, and Mark E. Smith.
The album includes 16 songs, one of which is the "Orchestral Intro." Murdoc, a member of Gorillaz, explained that he wanted something otherworldly to open the record. He described it as "portentous, vast, and oceanic, but graceful." The Orchestral Intro is followed by the song "Plastic Beach," which features Lou Reed and is considered the "true" start to the album.
"Pirate's Progress" is an extended version of the Orchestral Intro and was posted on the official Gorillaz website before the album's release. The website was revamped to fit the Plastic Beach theme, with various shots of a large Plastic Beach model backed by segments of new Gorillaz music.
Another notable track on the album is "Welcome to the World of Plastic Beach," which features Snoop Dogg and The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble. The song is described as a "proper soundtrack" that mixes organic and plastic elements to create something new and shiny.
Plastic Beach also includes four singles that were released separately: "Stylo," "Superfast Jellyfish," "On Melancholy Hill," and "Rhinestone Eyes." The album explores environmental themes and the impact of disposable and artificial items on the world, reflecting the band's approach to making political statements through their music.
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Four singles released
Four singles were released from the album "Plastic Beach", the third studio album by the British virtual band Gorillaz: Stylo, Superfast Jellyfish, On Melancholy Hill, and Rhinestone Eyes. Another minor single, "White Flag", was released for Record Store Day in 2010.
"Stylo" was released as a demo in 2009, and the final version of the song was heavily edited, while Broken remained mostly unchanged. "Stylo" features the Derby-based Orchestra sinfonia ViVA, although certain elements of the song were used in "Rhinestone Eyes", as well as the intro orchestral being separated into the bonus track "Three Hearts, Seven Seas, Twelve Moons".
"Superfast Jellyfish" features De La Soul and Gruff Rhys, who also recorded another song for the album called Leviathan, which did not make the final cut.
"On Melancholy Hill" is considered one of the most famous tracks on the album, although some critics have argued that its simplicity becomes a drawback after multiple listens.
"Rhinestone Eyes" contains samples from "Electric Shock", a song that did not make the album, although elements of it were used in other songs.
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Artists featured on the album
Plastic Beach, the third studio album by British virtual band Gorillaz, features a large roster of guest artists. The album, released in 2010, includes collaborations with Snoop Dogg, Bobby Womack, Mos Def, De La Soul, and Gruff Rhys, among others.
Snoop Dogg, the "grandaddy of rap and G-funk," according to Murdoc, opens the album with the track "Welcome to the World of Plastic Beach." The song also features The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, an ensemble of eight sons of Phil Cohran, a trumpet player with The Sun Ra Arkestra.
Mos Def, who collaborated with Albarn on three songs, appears on two songs on the album, including "Sweepstakes," where he showcases his rap skills and superlative MCing.
Gruff Rhys recorded two songs for the album: "Superfast Jellyfish" and "Leviathan." However, only "Superfast Jellyfish" made it onto the album, which also features De La Soul.
Bobby Womack's performance on the track "Cloud of Unknowing" has been described as a "mirror of the opener, a final reflection on the Plastic Beach," with his voice conveying a mixture of hope and uncertainty.
Other artists featured on the 16-track album include Mark E. Smith, Lou Reed, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, Bashy, Kano, Little Dragon, and Orchestra sinfonia ViVA, who contributed to the song "Electric Shock," which did not make it onto the album but was sampled in "Rhinestone Eyes."
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The album's political statements
The third studio album by British virtual band Gorillaz, Plastic Beach, was released on 3 March 2010. The album, which contains 16 songs, is a concept album that explores environmentalist themes.
The album's creator, Damon Albarn, drew inspiration for the album while on a beach next to his house, where he observed the accumulation of plastic in the sand. In an interview, Albarn shared that the album title is about the impact of anything inherently disposable and artificial on the world. He further explained that the album is a social realism parallel with love, reflecting on the impact of plastic-producing humans on the environment.
Plastic Beach presents the titular setting as a "secret floating island deep in the South Pacific," serving as a metaphor for the collection of plastic and other waste in the ocean. This idea of a hidden island of plastic waste is reinforced in the track "Welcome to the World of Plastic Beach," featuring Snoop Dogg and The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble. The song sets the tone for the album, blending organic and plastic elements to create something new and shiny, much like the juxtaposition of a pristine beach contaminated by plastic pollution.
Another track that delves into societal issues is "Cloud of Unknowing," featuring Bobby Womack. This song serves as a reflection on the themes presented in the album, with Womack's emotional performance conveying a mixture of hope and uncertainty. It invites listeners to pause and consider the impact of human actions on the environment, much like the introspective nature of The Who's "Love Reign O'er Me."
Through its music and lyrics, Plastic Beach makes a powerful statement about the state of the world, the responsibility of humanity in environmental issues, and the impact of disposability on our planet and society.
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Frequently asked questions
There are 16 tracks on the album Plastic Beach by Gorillaz.
Some of the tracks on the album are "Orchestral Intro", "Welcome to the World of Plastic Beach", "White Flag", "Sweepstakes", "Plastic Beach", "Superfast Jellyfish", "On Melancholy Hill", and "Rhinestone Eyes".
Yes, the album features a large roster of guest artists including Snoop Dogg, De La Soul, Bobby Womack, Mos Def, Lou Reed, Mark E. Smith, and more.
