Gorillaz – How Far? (Ft. Tony Allen & Skepta)

It was a very sad day for the music industry on Friday May 1, when news broke that afrobeat pioneer Tony Allen sadly passed away. With many legendary artists in the scene being influenced by him, he collaborated with many across multiple genres and two of those are Gorillaz and Skepta. Releasing the collaboration as an immediate tribute to Tony himself, it’s titled ‘How Far?’ and is the latest in their Song Machine series that is currently ongoing.

Recorded in London just before the quarantine rules hit the world, ‘How Far?’ is a wonderful concoction of different influences mixed together to fuel the unique Gorillaz sound, and it works extremely well for this unique sounding track. With Gorillaz laying down the important foundations of the groovy sound, Tony Allen’s incomparable sound is truly what drives the track along, and with Skepta laying down bars over the top of everything, it makes for something truly mind-blowing to listen to.

“The track was written and recorded with Skepta in London just before lockdown and is being shared immediately as a tribute to the spirit of a great man, Tony Allen.” – Gorillaz, via press statement

This track follows an earlier collaboration that Tony had with the band’s frontman Damon Albarn on Allen’s album ‘The Source’. You can listen to it below.

Image Credit: Warner Music Australia