Friday Flash(back) - Gorillaz - The Mountain

Gorillaz are an English virtual band created by musician Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett back in 1998. 

The band primarily consists of four fictional members: 2-D (vocals, keyboards, melodica), Murdoc Niccals (bass guitar), Noodle (guitar, keyboards, backup vocals) and Russel Hobbs (drums). Their universe is presented in media such as music videos, interviews, comic strips and short cartoons. Gorillaz's music has featured collaborations with a wide range of musicians and featured artists, with Albarn as the only permanent musical contributor.

With Gorillaz, Albarn departed from the distinct Britpop sound of his band Blur, exploring a variety of musical styles including hip hop, electronic and world music.

The band's 2001 debut album, Gorillaz, which features trip hop, dub and Latin influences, went triple platinum in the UK and double platinum in Europe, with sales driven by the success of the lead single, Clint Eastwood. 

Their second studio album, Demon Days (2005), went six times platinum in the UK, double platinum in the US, and spawned the successful lead single Feel Good Inc., along with other hit singles such as Dare, Dirty Harry & El Mañana.

The band's third album, Plastic Beach (2010), featured environmentalist themes, synth-pop elements & an expanded roster of featured artists. Their fourth album, The Fall, was recorded on the road (mainly on Damon Albarn's iPad) during the Escape to Plastic Beach Tour and released on 25 December 2010.

In 2015, after over 10 years providing the voice of Russel, Remi Kabaka Jr became a permanent music producer for the band.

Their fifth album, Humanz (2017) was the band's first in seven years and featured a wide array of guest artists, while its follow-up, The Now Now (2018), focused musically on Albarn. 

In 2020 Gorillaz started the Song Machine project, a music-based web series with episodes that consisted of standalone singles and accompanying music videos featuring different guests, which culminated with their seventh studio album, Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez (2020). The band's eighth studio album, Cracker Island (2023), met generally positive reviews as a refinement of their usual style.

Gorillaz has presented itself live in a variety of different ways throughout its history, such as hiding the touring band from the audience's view in the early years of the project, projecting animated band members on stage via computer graphics and, since 2010, traditional live touring featuring a fully visible live band.

They have won a Grammy Award, two MTV Video Music Awards, an NME Award and four MTV Europe Music Awards. They have also been nominated for 11 Brit Awards and won Best British Group at the 2018 Brit Awards.

The Mountain (title written in Devanagari as पर्वत, parvat[a], 'mountain' in several Indian languages) is their ninth studio album.

This is the first Gorillaz title to be released without the participation of Parlophone or Warner Records since the band's hiatus.

The album features numerous appearances from musicians and actors, including posthumous appearances from Dennis Hopper, Bobby Womack, David Jolicoeur from De La Soul, Tony Allen, Proof, and Mark E. Smith.

It will feature performances in English, Arabic, Hindi, Spanish, and Yoruba. It will be produced by Damon Albarn, Remi Kabaka Jr., James Ford and Samuel Egglenton.

The album was debuted and performed in full in 2025 at a show during Gorillaz's 25th anniversary "House of Kong" exhibition, with a supporting tour scheduled this year.

So take a listen below to take you into the first weekend of autumn. We made it through summer. Praise be!

Album of the Week - Offical Music Videos

Album of the Week - TELENOVA - {The Warning}

Friday Flash(back) - Meg Mac - It's My Party

Megan McInerney, known by her stage name Meg Mac, is an awesome local singer-songwriter & musician. 

It's My Party is the fourth studio by Mac. The album was announced in July 2025 alongside its lead single was released last Friday.

Last month, Mac said "I thought I had this whole album planned out – I was going for this dark, witchy vibe and I was so serious. Then honestly, not one thing went to plan and I was forced to let go for once in my life." Mac continued saying, "I've spent most of my career being stressed, but somehow I stopped trying to control it all and found the magic in collaboration, being open and not worrying so much."[1][5]

The album will be supported with the It's My Party Australian tour in commencing this month till April. 

I have loved Meg Mac since hearing her as the Unearthed Featured Artist of the Week back in 2013. This lead to being the  Unearthed Artist of the Year in 2014.

Back in July 2014, Mac announced her first national headline tour to promote her debut extended play, MegMac, which was issued in September.

Alongside Unearthed Artist of 2014 award, Mac also landed, more accolades. Marie Claire Australia chose her as an Artist to Watch for 2015 & she received a nomination for Rolling Stone Australia's "Best New Talent" Award.

Back in August 2015, Mac achieved her first top 50 chart appearance with Never Be, which entered the ARIA Singles Chart at No. 39.

It out-peaked her first top 100 single, Roll Up Your Sleeves, which had reached No. 80 in August 2014.

At the ARIA Music Awards of 2015 she was nominated for Best Female Artist for MEGMAC and Breakthrough Artist for Never Be.

On 26 January 2016, Never Be made it to No.11 on the Triple J Hottest 100.

Mac's debut album Low Blows was released on 14 July 2017, & entered the ARIA Chart at No.2.

So it's time to discover the latest tunes from Meg Mac. See you next week for something a little more, international...

Album of the Week - Offical Music Videos

Album of the Week - MAY-A - {Goodbye (If You Call That Gone)}

Friday Flash(back) - Chet Faker - A Love For Strangers

Nicholas James Murphy AKA Chet Faker, sixth solo studio album on Friday the 13th.

Some under Nick Murphy, some under Chet Faker. Talk about mixed messages to his fans.

In 2012, as Chet Faker, he issued an extended play, Thinking in Textures, and signed to Downtown Records in the United States.

In October 2012, he won Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Thinking in Textures won Best Independent Single/EP at the Australian Independent Records Awards.

In January 2013, Work won Best Independent Release at the Rolling Stone Australia Awards for 2012.

Murphy's cover of Blackstreet's No Diggity was featured in a 2013 Super Bowl commercial for Beck's Sapphire.

In April 2014, Built on Glass, his debut studio album, was released to generally positive reviews and debuted at number one on the Australian ARIA Charts.

Three tracks from the album were voted into the top ten of Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2014, including the number one spot for Talk Is Cheap.

In September 2016, Murphy dropped the Chet Faker name to start performing and releasing material under his birth name, beginning with the release of a pair of singles later that year, and the Missing Link extended play in 2017.

Murphy's second studio album, the first under his birth name, Run Fast Sleep Naked was released in April 2019.

This was followed up by a surprise instrumental album, Music for Silence, in March 2020, initially released via the Calm meditation app.

In October 2020, four years after dropping the moniker, Murphy revived the Chet Faker name for the release of a new single, Low.

A Love For Strangers came after a bit of a break for Chet. Following working with Flume and the high of highs of Talk is Cheap, it's so good seeing Chet Faker back releasing music. 

The Friday Flash(back) will be back next Friday with most likely another local artist. Have a great weekend. Summer is almost officially over!