After six years of hiatus, Gorillaz has blessed us once more in these tense times with Humanz, a 20-track ode (25 on the deluxe edition) to the current political sentiment. In true Gorillaz fashion, the album is charged with political commentary presented in lyrical stylings that assault your ears and then caress them in the next stroke. I’ve been hyped for this album since Gorillaz released some of the tracks, and I’m glad to say it lived up to all my expectations and more.

The album starts with guest Ben Mendelsohn simply stating, “I switched my robot off.” It then smoothly transitions to the first track, “Ascension”, ft. Vince Staples, which sets the mood for most of the album with its heavy synth and strong beat. The pattern is set by “Strobelight,” however, that with its smooth vocals and calm vibe acts as the perfect counterpoint to the pointed commentary of the previous song.

Some standout tracks on this album are “Charger” and “Busted and Blue.” Charger, as the name implies, is a charged track that keeps you on edge, almost frighteningly contrasting the rough melody with 2d’s softer, almost fragile sounding voice. It’s a piece that demands your attention from Grace Jones’ haunting intro to the final round.

“Busted and Blue” is arguably the gentlest sounding track in the album, and yet when I first heard it, it hit me so hard I had to stop for a minute and clutch my chest. Little more than a simple synth chord progression, a deceptively minimal beat, and intermittent backup vocals, 2d’s equally simple, unembellished yet heartfelt singing tugs at your heartstrings and had me clinging to every note.

“We Got the Power,” the final track on the album, rings with a message of hope and a clear message of love, bringing the album to a stunning close. At a little over a minute, it is definitely on the shorter side, but is very close to being my favorite song on the album and easily one of my favorite songs of all time.

What else can I say? I haven’t listened to anything else since it came out.