SONG: Hallelujah Money ARTIST: Gorillaz feat. Benjamin Clementine A lot of us in Australia woke today to the sights and sounds of Donald “You’re Fired” Trump taking ownership of the USA; a spectacle of equal parts hilarity and epic unease. But all political insanity aside, I feel we already owe El Presidente a big thank you – without him we wouldn’t have some amazing internet memes and we probably wouldn’t have been treated to new music so soon from everyone’s favourite cartoon heroes ‘Gorillaz’. Dropped the night before Trump’s inauguration, the band’s twitter fired out: “Dark times - u need someone to look up to. Me. Here's a lightning bolt of truth in a black night”. And that lightning bolt came in the form of new song “Hallelujah Money”, featuring British artist Benjamin Clementine. One look at the title and the accompanying music video and there’s no doubting the intent here – as Benjamin Clementine waits for an elevator in what we can safely assume is Trump Tower, the track then weaves through a slow-burn against political rhetoric and greed. Clementine’s addition adds a warm comfort to the unsettling content, coating his wavering croon across some underlying sci-fi Gospel tones. Familiar snippets of Gorillaz real-life vocalist Damon Albarn pop up, as does the trademark hip hop/electronica grooves. “Hallelujah Money” is definitely not a thumping adventure – but the song’s message is made more effective with its subdued vibes and poignant lyrics. It’s the first new music in six years for Gorillaz, the brainchild of Albarn and illustrator Jamie Hewlett, and their hotly anticipated follow up to ‘The Fall’ (2011) is due out this year – but “Hallelujah Money” won’t be included on the album according to the band. Instead it’s a glimmer of unity in uncertain times – and a massive tease while we wait impatiently for the next installment.
You can watch the vid here
SINGLE RELEASE DATE: 19th January, 2017
GENRE(S): Hip Hop/Electronica
BY TIANA SPETER