Gorillaz are known for being a standout amongst the entire music industry; their refreshing blend of alternative pop, rock, and rap combined with a cartoony design have helped them remain unique throughout their entire career, and that was no exception in 2010 with their album Plastic Beach.

Plastic Beach originated from a project called Carousel, which intended on Gorillaz becoming more like a collection of artists who produce music individually that would be presented by Gorillaz. After the cancellation of that concept, Gorillaz creator Damon Albarn decided to create another immersive album that tackled the state of our world’s environment. Alongside features with Snoop Dogg, Mos Def, De La Soul, and much more,  Albarn provides the usual variety of genres involving funk, alternative rock, dubstep, and hip hop. Standout tracks such as “On Melancholy Hill”, “Empire Ants”, and “Some Kind of Nature” all deliver a clash of styles that formulates into some of the best work we’ve seen from Gorillaz since their debut.

To sum things up, Plastic Beach is a mesmerizing, utterly beautifully work of art and arguably surpasses their most renowned album, Demon Days, with its high levels of ambition and emphasis on storytelling and variety. Gorillaz’ entire shtick of disappearing for years and returning with a new classic has served them well, as it allows for more effort to be put into their work than most artists do, and Plastic Beach reflects all of their hard work and effort by providing another masterpiece for the ages.