Cartoon band Gorillaz’s new CD “Plastic Beach” features an armada of guests, including Snoop Dogg, Mos Def, De La Soul, Lou Reed, and Mick Jones & Paul Simonon from The Clash, to mention a few. However, they are well used and rarely overwhelm the songs they feature on.

Unlike its Dangermouse-produced predecessor “Demon Days”, production this time is by Damon Albarn incorporating all his musical influences from projects as diverse as Amadou & Miriam to Blur and the results are simply staggering!

“White flag” with Kano and Bashy, for example, features Middle Eastern strings sounds by The National Orchestra For Arabic Music (and anti-war, anti-crime lyrics), the groovy “Welcome to the plastic beach” (with Snoop Dogg), and the Dubby “Sweepstakes” (with Mos Def) both feature 9 piece brass Jazz group Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, while the twinkly “Glitter freeze” with Mark E Smith or “On melancholy hill” (with quivering organ and sixties-style harmonies) could have come off Blur’s “Think Tank”.

Those seeking another “Feel good Inc” will have to make do with the dense future-funk of “Stylo” with Mos Def and an incredibly soulful Bobby Womack telling us “Love is electric” against a string back drop that sounds nicked from Michael Jackson’s “Who is it”. Womack appears again on “Cloud of unknowing”.

Super Furry Animal Gruff Rhys and De La Soul feature on “Superfast jellyfish”, the guitar-drenched ballad “empire ants” features Little Dragon, who also feature on the 13 minute epic “To binge”. The title track is a blistering Rocker with squealing guitars and the two Clash titans on it.

A masterpiece! Who would have thought it would take four cartoon primates to make one of the best albums of the year.