After 2017’s Humanz was released, Damon Albarn hinted that Gorillaz might have a quick turnaround for their next album, like they did with Plastic Beach and The Fall, both of which were released in 2010. The Humanz follow-up, The Now Now, is set to come out in just a couple weeks, and we’ve already gotten a few looks at it so far, via “Humility,” “Lake Zurich,” “Sorcererz,” and now, “Fire Flies,” which the band just shared today.
While the song’s predecessor “Sorcererz” was an upbeat and danceable affair, “Fire Flies” is decidedly not that. Instead, it’s more of a slowed down psychedelic offering that takes its time to create a hazy vibe, with Albarn’s voice slowly dripping on the track like honey. So far, Gorillaz have proven that The Now Now will be an album defined by its variety: There’s the red-eyed relaxation of “Fire Flies,” the funky dance party of “Sorcererz,” the chilled out day at the beach of “Humility,” and the instrumental disco punch of “Lake Zurich.” It’ll definitely be a different album than Humanz is: While that one was defined by its collaborators, The Now Now shows Gorillaz going about it mostly on their own, and the early returns show that they’re doing it just fine.
Listen to “Fire Flies” above, and check out Gorillaz’s upcoming tour dates here.
The Now Now is out 6/29 via Warner Bros. Records. Pre-order it here.
