GORILLAZ is a virtual band known as much for their amazing visuals as their genre-crossing sound. The group’s only permanent members are frontman DAMON ALBARN (formerly of BLUR) and visual mastermind JAMIE HEWLETT — the rest are just a rotating cast of kooky cartoon characters.
Alborn took over YouTube’s homepage today for 24 hours to celebrate the premiere of their “MONKEY BEE” live action music video — the first single from their latest project, MONKEY: JOURNEY TO THE WEST, an album based on their adaptation of a Mandarin opera staged by CHEN SHI-ZHENG last year.
While the only typical Gorillaz element you’ll recognize here are the dancey beats, the epic visuals are weird and beautifully done, which makes us wish they would give the entire simian soundtrack the same treatment.
Click here to watch it now and let us know if you think it’s cooler than their 2006 video for “FEEL GOOD INC.”