Three tracks of vibrant, dancehall-infused pop celebrating West London. A sun-drenched tribute to the Notting Hill Carnival with heavy bass and bright steel pans.
It's Gorillaz throwing a block party in West London and everyone's invited.
A vibrant and rhythmic celebration of urban community and Caribbean influence.
Released in August 2021, the Meanwhile EP is a three-track project by Gorillaz that pays homage to the Notting Hill Carnival and the band's West London roots. The title itself refers to Meanwhile Gardens, the site of the first Gorillaz live performance. Sonically, the EP represents a shift toward dancehall, reggae fusion, and dub, moving away from the darker electronic textures of previous projects. It features collaborations with British artists AJ Tracey, Jelani Blackman, and Alicai Harley, emphasizing a local, community-focused narrative. The production is characterized by its use of steel pans and off-beat rhythms, creating a vibrant, organic feel. The final track, a live recording of 'Déjà vu', captures the band's stage energy and reinforces the EP's theme of live celebration. Critically, it was seen as a successful distillation of the band's diverse influences into a concise, high-energy format that celebrated the resilience of London's Caribbean-influenced music scene during the pandemic era.
Put this on for
Ice cubes rattling in a plastic cup at a backyard cookoutSunlight hitting the pavement through a moving bus windowThat first warm evening when the neighborhood feels alive againHumid city air and the smell of street food nearbyDancing in a kitchen while the grill heats up outsideGolden hour shadows stretching across a crowded parkHeadphones on while walking through a colorful street market
Moments worth waiting for
The bright, metallic chime of the steel pan melody that opens the title track
AJ Tracey's effortless flow locking into the bouncy, reggae-inflected bassline on Jimmy Jimmy
The transition into the live energy of Déjà vu where the crowd noise blends into the dub delay
Sounds like
2021s production with a 2020s soul
Sits beside
The Marfa Tapes - Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall, West End Girls - Pet Shop Boys, The Specials - The Specials, Superdream - Big Wild
Lyrical territory
nostalgia, social_commentary, identity
03Deviation
Meanwhile EP · vs · Gorillaz
Artist
This Album
High Energy
Energy · ↑ +16% more than usual
On this album, high energy sits about 16% more prominent than across the rest of the artist's catalogue.
