D-Sides

The new side of Gorillaz

Damon Albarn's virtual band Gorillaz has proved to be the singer's one of the most successful projects. This year his team is planning to release a feature film and the soundtrack will become the third album, after the 2005 multiplatinum Demon Days that has become an example of inventiveness and experimentation. Yet there have remained unknown a number of demo versions and bonus tracks, and this year the unique collective releases the compilation that includes the B-sides, bonus tracks of the last album and several brilliant remixes. And if the most interesting and luckiest compositions have been picked up for Demon Days, then D-Sides is a collection opening a new side of Gorillaz, making us realize what experiments it is really able to carry out and providing an opportunity to know how the masterpieces like Dare have been created. Due to remixes, the known hits have acquired a new sounding, thus its creators suggest that the listener choose a variant for a most sophisticated taste.

Demo versions, B-sides and remixes on D-Sides

All the material on D-Sides has been taken from Demon Days proving that one album format is never enough for Gorillaz to demonstrate all its possibilities and capabilities. The album consists of two parts: the first is a surprising collection of demo versions and B-sides and the second offers the remixes of the most wanted songs. The album opens with 68 State, a hard instrumental composition followed by one of the album's highlights People – the early demo version of Dare, performed yet without Shaun Ryder and letting us compare the two variants. Funny tracks Hongkongaton and Hong Kong are stylized to oriental music, and the restrained Highway (Under Construction) contrasts well with the drive of a long expected version of Rockit. After Clint Eastwood another actor – Bill Murray – has been given the credit of naming a song, and the track actually reminds of the comedian. Contagious shouts on The Swagga clearly display who is behind Gorillaz (check out Blur's Song 2), and Don't Get Lost In Heaven (Original Demo Version) is another chance to peep in the studio and follow the way of song making. Joyful bells accompany throughout almost romantic song Stop The Dams which cannot lose its feeling of hopelessness. The songs remixed are certainly Dare, Feel Good Inc. and Kids With Guns the most successful one being that of Jamie T's Turns To Monsters. Another highlight here is definitely Dirty Harry (Schtung Chinese New Year Remix), many will agree it has changed the song to the better.

Provocative, stylish and impossibly original project

When Gorillaz first videos and songs appeared on TV and radio, the band was surrounded by a mystery which many now think gone. Indeed, Damon Albarn is a real person, and there is no more point in inventing the story of a band and making new cartoon videos. Yet the more we learn about the works of Gorillaz the closer we get to realizing that the real mystery is what there is in the head of the project's author for all of the songs on D-Sides draw attention to the great percentage of experimentation in them which seems to have no limits. As before guest stars have not been left aside in recording the compilation and the funny Hot Chip has shone among others making a relatively soft remix of Kids With Guns. Provocative, stylish and impossibly original project Gorillaz has once again demonstrated its best. Most probably the film Gorillaz that is being prepared for release will prove as unusual as the collective's music and allow its creators fulfill their potentials even better. For now rich in a multitude of ideas compilation D-Sides will surely make the expectation of news more pleasant.