Gorillaz - Plastic Beach (Parlophone) 08/03/10

There is a famous relaxation technique which works on the basis of emptying your mind and imagining yourself lying on a beach. Stripping away all of life's complications and thinking only of the surf licking at your feet and the warm sand can make you forget about everything, from the over due rent to your neighbour who won't stop playing Black Eyed Peas at full blast on a Sunday afternoon. Gorillaz are clearly a band who have been buying their fair share of whale song CD's if 'Plastic Beach' is anything to go by.

Transporting the listener to a world far removed from technology, civilisation and the traps they hold 'Plastic Beach' is a fully working organism of its own creation. You won't be a stranger here though, living on the Beach are a host of familiar names from Gruff Rhys to Mark. E Smith by way of Kano and Bashy. Introducing you to the island is Mr Snoop Dogg and in doing so he sets the tone for what is a magical holiday, a trip in every sense of the word. Over the course of the album we come across a confused Lou Reed, a playful De La Soul and even Clash members Mick Jones and Paul Simonen working together for the first time since they were starting white riots with Joe Strummer. All without exception deliver something you wouldn't expect. It's as if Plastic Beach is a musical playground for the featured artists, a place to roam and explore new ventures and styles.

It's the guests you will book your flight to 'Plastic Beach' for but it's the core members of Gorillaz you will stay for. It's not said enough just how brilliant Damon Albarn is. He seems to have the musical Midas touch, turning his hand to practically any style and never appearing to be an imposter, even bringing something new to the table. Here is no different as his melancholic interjection bring a sense of realism and emotion to a cartoon world that is bold and bright but occasionally lacking the deft brush strokes of introspection.

'Plastic Beach' is an album you need to give yourself over to entirely. Don't cherry pick songs or listen to it for a bit at a time, really throw yourself into it. You'll never want to return to the real world.