Don’t count on The Gorillaz to show the same thing twice

When the mold gets old...break the mold. At least that’s what Russel, digital drummer for the Gorillaz, has to say about Momentary Bliss. 

The Gorillaz have been a virtual band before virtual bands were viral. Consistently pushing the boundaries of animation and performance, their newest audiovisual series blurs the lines further, drawing the digital band members in conversation with performers and guests in an intimate, indie living room, where people jam, record, and chill with each other as they make music together. 

The Line animation studios have created a world where the animated caricatures and the band members interact fluidly and with a sense of humor. Murdoc, the (fictional) ne’er-do-well bassist poisons a mug that a (real) producer drinks from. Noodle dances alongside another person, and as (real human) slowthai paces outside after delivering a furious and frantic chorus, (fake human frontman) 2-D nods along outside the window.

The blend of real and imaginary is clever and not limited to the interactions between the digital characters and the quote real-life unquote humans they perform alongside. The Line has drawn rolling animated eyeballs over people’s faces, animated notes float up into the air, little thought and speech bubbles pop up. Momentary Bliss strikes a delicate balance in between creative and crafted, and never quite breaks the fourth wall. 

Directed by a trio of names, including Jamie Hewlett, an infamous comic artist known for co-creating the Gorillaz, creating Tank Girl, and helping render the most recent League of Legends characters, the style remains exceptionally true to the Gorillaz tongue-in-cheek satire of the music and film industries. Max Taylor and Tim McCourt also add their talents to the directing table, helping craft a video that is fun, punchy, and full of attitude.