By: Hana Hoffman, Peak Associate

I want to bring you back to May 11, 2005, when Gorillaz released their second studio album, Demon Days. This album will take you on a journey to a fictional world that mirrors our own. The world is full of loneliness and depression, while characters search for the hope and positivity this generation lacks according to the songwriter’s point of view. These 15 tracks of futuristic, experimental, and mixed-genre music express the human experience of living in a society that doesn’t necessarily bring out the best in people. 

Gorillaz is a four-piece English band known for their cartoon image in music videos and media. The band’s online presence consists of four virtual characters named 2D, Murdoc, Noodle, and Russel — the ones appearing in the music videos, social media posts, and on merch. The only time the real life artists make themselves visible is when they perform, and they have visuals with the cartoon characters on the back screen. In Demon Days, they play around with multiple genres like rock, pop, hip hop, and rap. Combining sounds like funky bass and guitar, and electronic sound effects, they achieve a futuristic vibe away from the norm.

The album’s “Intro” track is full of movement: ambient sirens and repeated voices, representing the formation of the next generation. Or, a new world of depression, loneliness, and uncertainty, followed by the song “Last Living Souls” in which the singer questions if they’re the last people of their generation to feel joy. The song “Kids With Guns” addresses children born and raised romanticizing violence, as the media glamourizes it. The lyrics express the importance of being aware that the upcoming generation could turn into monsters, because pop culture sensationalizes violence.

As the album progresses, we get into the appearance of this new dark place that was once green until human pollution ruined it, forcing us to say goodbye to the old times and hello to the apocalypse. The description of this transformation continues on in the popular song “Feel Good Inc.” which blew up and gained plenty of attention in the music industry. The song even earned a 2006 Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. Many other songs in this album talk about being stuck in this depressed state of mind, where dreams cannot be met and finding hope seems impossible. The songwriter shares what they’re doing to cope with their struggles while being deserted and feeling grief for the world that used to exist.

My favourite song off the album is “All Alone” because it holds a lot of value to me. It points out the internal self doubt we face, and expresses fury towards the world we live in. These days, it seems like people are pressured to be fake to feel more self-worth and have an advantage in society. As the chorus repeats the words “all alone” over and over again, I feel this deeply. I do feel alone in my community, where I’m being my honest self and going through my own struggles that no one else could understand. Even though people around us are often judgemental, the lyrics emphasize the importance of leading life through your own path and accepting obstacles and events as they occur. But that comes with hesitation, and we start asking ourselves questions like: can we really make it to the finish? What kind of hope do I see here right now?

This song also includes some British phrases, reflecting rapper Roots Manuva’s roots, like the line “these airs and all these graces,” which describes the type of people who cover the authentic side of themselves to make them seem more suitable to the public, instead of being their true selves and living the way they naturally desire to. In another quote, “skin of my tooth like, skin of my boot like,” is a reference to an English and British saying that means to barely make it, or in other words, completing an action on thin ice. I feel that, because in some situations I know one slip up could make me fail. The first quote is also something I’ve witnessed all my life going to school, because I’ve often seen people around me trying so hard to make themselves more important by following trends and being someone they’re not.

Here we are 18 years later, and this timeless album still speaks about relevant topics regarding the imperfect realities and struggles of modern life. Go give it a listen!