(Single from album, “Plastic Beach”)
I got into Gorillaz quite late. About 2007. "Demon Days" had been out for two years, the "Rise Of The Ogre" book, chronicling the apparent break up of the band after Noodle's 'death', was being published, and the future of Gorillaz was bland. I can't remember where I first read that a new track was on its way, but I remember getting home from school in January 2010, and finding the high octane, live action/cartoon crossover video flashing before my very eyes, the visuals blindingly exciting, but the audio all the more exhilarating.
Not particularly the best track on "Plastic Beach", "Stylo" still stands out as a song with classic Gorillaz buzz, even when the rest of the tracks (bar a few, which, are better than this one) make the album Gorillaz's weakest outing so far. The initial breakthrough synthy bass and accompanying radio static mark the opening of the first new Gorillaz track in over three years; very exciting stuff. The rap spoken over a police car radio vocoder effect, is followed by a moody keyboard whine, a solo with gothic tinges, and proceeding a chorus with an altogether brighter attitude, juxtaposing bits of the song with one another, the verses representing a low, and the choruses, a climax.
For me, Damon Albarn's lyrics for Gorillaz are fairly meaningless, but his voice is something else entirely, and it works wonderfully in conjunction with Womack and Mos Def, whose rappier vocals are spread out over bridge sections mirroring the chorus section, but with "Double Dutch"-esque whooping sounds behind. Albarn does a great job of not sounding like the lead singer of Blur; with this sound, with these keyboards, he is 2-D, the melancholy, blue haired, eyeless vocalist of cartoon band, Gorillaz. The vocals here are great, and definitely worth a listen.
Similarly, the remixes are, for the most part, tastefully done. Labrinth's remix is pretty darn danceable and the Alex Metric remix, maybe the best one, lends an entirely new tone to the track; the great thing is that there are loads. The 12" single came loaded with 6 songs on each side, so there is no end of variety when it comes down to the re-hases of this Gorillaz song.
And so, perhaps the most important element of any virtual, cartoon band - the art. The cover is great, and the style is all still there. The video, where other Gorillaz videos have borrowed CG elements, is completely computer generated as far as the band members are concerned. Despite an initial frown at seeing my cartoon friends represented like Kangaroo Jack from the less-than-adequete film of the same name from a few years back, you'll come to find it looks quite good, and the humour is still retained, especially bassist Murdoc's face as he winds up the window of the car to stop guest star, Bruce Willis, from blowing his brains out with a rather large handgun.
Oh yes, Bruce Willis is in it. It's awesome. Very awesome indeed. A lovely little reference to follow-up single, and equal commercial failure, "Superfast Jellyfish" is present, and the video leads straight on to the events portrayed in the video for the third single, "On Melancholy Hill", the first and only track from this album to actually chart. At the end of this latter video, you will be relieved to find that, when in their own environment, the original cartoon Gorillaz...ahem...'resurface'...
As to the mystery regarding this song's chart failure, I don't know what was going on. Gorillaz have always been a band where it is worth owning the physical releases for the artwork, and so, I think that the lack of a retail CD release had something to do with this. I, however, own a lovely promo, bought on eBay for a premium of £5 - if you can, get a copy - its very nice indeed...
★★★★★
Versions of "Stylo"
Radio Edit - 3:50
Album Version - 4:30
Instrumental Version - 4:30
iTunes Session Version - 4:32
Labrinth SNES Remix feat. Tinie Tempah - 4:15
Alex Metric Remix - 6:14
DJ Kofi Remix - 3:44
Chiddy Bang Remix - 3:38
Tenkah Remix - 4:48
Death Metal Scene Remix - 7:54
Annie Mac Minimix - 5:06
Yuksek Remix - 5:08
Tong & Rogers Wonderland Mix - 4:13
Louis La Roche 'Better Late Than Never" Remix - 3:29