There's been an awful lot of hype about Gorillaz, usually described as a pop-animation concept and the world's first virtual band. In fact what it really sounds like is Damon Albarn's attempt to make a solo album without any of the baggage he carries from being the leader of Blur. Whatever its motivations, Gorillaz is a joy to listen to - a playful mixture of indie rock, hip-hop and world music with Albarn stretching his vocals as he's rarely done before. Forget the postmodern trappings, this should be seen as a great album entirely on its own merits.
