Gorillaz Release “The Manifesto” With Trueno and a Posthumous Verse From Proof
Gorillaz have returned with their latest single, “The Manifesto,” a sprawling, seven-minute epic that blends global sounds with hip hop legacy. The track features Argentine rapper Trueno alongside a posthumous contribution from D12’s Proof, making it one of the most ambitious releases in the band’s catalog.
Out now, the single arrives as the second preview of the group’s forthcoming album The Mountain, set to drop March 20, 2026.
A Global Soundscape With Historic Roots
“The Manifesto” pulls from a wide musical palette. Damon Albarn and his cartoon crew invited sarod virtuosos Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash, the legendary Jea Band Jaipur who have been soundtracking Indian weddings since the 1930s, bansuri flutist Ajay Prasanna, and the Mountain Choir under the direction of Vijayaa Shanker.
The result is a piece that feels more like a ritual than a single. “As space dust we are here forever and that is a mighty long time. This is a musical meditation infused with light. A journey of the soul, with beats,” said Gorillaz’s fictional drummer Russel Hobbs in a press statement.
It is not just eclecticism for the sake of it. The band’s mix of South Asian instrumentation, choir harmonies, and raw rap verses feels like a spiritual sequel to their early 2000s experiments with cross-genre collaborations, but at an even bolder scale.
Proof Returns to the Gorillaz Universe
Perhaps the most striking moment of “The Manifesto” is the posthumous verse from Proof. Fans of Gorillaz will remember that he appeared on “911,” one of the group’s earliest singles released in 2001 for the Bad Company soundtrack.
Hearing Proof’s voice two decades later, dropped into this cosmic beatscape, gives the track an extra layer of poignancy. It is a reminder of Gorillaz’s long history of reaching across genres and eras, often connecting voices that might otherwise never meet. For hip hop fans, it is also a rare chance to hear one more cut from a Detroit legend taken far too soon.
Building Toward The Mountain
“The Manifesto” follows last month’s “The Happy Dictator,” a Sparks collaboration that announced The Mountain and set the tone for what is shaping up to be one of Gorillaz’s most expansive projects.
Recorded partly in London and Devon, as well as across India in cities like Mumbai, New Delhi, Rajasthan, and Varanasi, The Mountain will be the first release on the group’s KONG label. The record’s guest list is massive, spanning Yasiin Bey, Omar Souleyman, Anoushka Shankar, Johnny Marr, IDLES, Gruff Rhys, Bizarrap, and Paul Simonon. Several late icons will also appear posthumously, including Bobby Womack, Tony Allen, Mark E. Smith, Dennis Hopper, Dave Jolicoeur, and of course Proof.
In classic Gorillaz fashion, the lineup reads less like a tracklist and more like a cultural summit.
Live Plans and Side Projects
The band is wasting no time taking The Mountain on the road. A UK and Ireland tour begins March 21 at Manchester’s Co-Op Live Arena and includes their first-ever stadium headline show at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on June 20.
Outside of music, Gorillaz have also been expanding their multimedia empire. Last month they launched Kong Studios, a new online video game. They also recently revisited their origins, performing their entire self-titled debut album live. It was a nostalgic moment for fans, offering a full-circle contrast to the global and future-facing scope of their new work.
A Band That Still Redefines the Future
Two decades into their career, Gorillaz continue to thrive on the collision of sounds and worlds. “The Manifesto” is not a single designed for the radio. It is sprawling, messy, spiritual, and packed with guests. Yet that is exactly what keeps the band relevant. They create spaces where hip hop, electronica, world music, and visual art coexist, without apology.
With The Mountain arriving in spring 2026, Gorillaz are proving that the concept of a “virtual band” still has infinite space to evolve.
FAQ Section
Q1: Who features on Gorillaz’s new single “The Manifesto”?
A1: The track features Argentine rapper Trueno and a posthumous verse from D12’s Proof, alongside global musicians including Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash, Ajay Prasanna, and the Jea Band Jaipur.
Q2: When will Gorillaz release their new album The Mountain?
A2: The album is set for release on March 20, 2026. It will include collaborations with Sparks, Yasiin Bey, Omar Souleyman, Johnny Marr, IDLES, Anoushka Shankar, Bizarrap, and more.
Q3: Will Gorillaz tour in 2026?
A3: Yes, the band launches a UK and Ireland tour starting March 21, 2026, with their first-ever stadium headline show at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on June 20.