Indian collaborations shape Gorillaz' ninth studio album The Mountain. Asha Puthli, Anoushka Shankar, Ajay Prasanna and more feature on the album partly recorded in Mumbai and Delhi and the enigmatic desertscapes of Rajasthan and in Varanasi, the holy city on the banks of the Ganges. Longtime Damon Albarn collaborators Bobby Womack and Tony Allen make posthumous appearances and among the slew of current celebrity musicians that pepper the starry guestlist is Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals, The Smiths legend Johnny Marr and the irrepressible art rock duo Sparks. The collaboration with the latter, titled 'The Happy Dictator', is cosmic and joyous and too a reflection of Gorillaz' globetrotting adventures as it's inspired by a trip to one of the most secretive and tightly controlled countries on earth: Turkmenistan. Clearly still reeling from inspirational journeys, their lust for life is palpable.

Tracklist

Side A

1. The Mountain (feat. Dennis Hopper, Ajay Prasanna, Anoushka Shankar, Amaan & Ayaan Ali Bangash) — 4:43
2. The Moon Cave (feat. Asha Puthli, Bobby Womack, Dave Jolicoeur, Jalen Ngonda & Black Thought) — 4:49
3. The Happy Dictator (feat. Sparks) — 4:29

Side B

1. The Hardest Thing (feat. Tony Allen) — 2:18
2. Orange County (feat. Bizarrap, Kara Jackson & Anoushka Shankar) — 3:23
3. The God Of Lying (feat. IDLES) — 3:06
4. The Empty Dream Machine (feat. Black Thought, Johnny Marr & Anoushka Shankar) — 5:43

Side C

1. The Manifesto (feat. Trueno & Proof) — 7:13
2. The Plastic Guru (feat. Johnny Marr & Anoushka Shankar) — 3:15
3. Delirium (feat. Mark E. Smith) — 3:51
4. Damascus (feat. Omar Souleyman & Yasiin Bey) — 4:06

Side D

1. The Shadowy Light (feat. Asha Bhosle, Gruff Rhys, Ajay Prasanna, Amaan & Ayaan Ali Bangash) — 5:39
2. Casablanca (feat. Paul Simonon & Johnny Marr) — 3:43
3. The Sweet Prince (feat. Ajay Prasanna, Johnny Marr & Anoushka Shankar) — 4:17
4. The Sad God (feat. Black Thought, Ajay Prasanna & Anoushka Shankar) — 4:45