Song Machine
Season 1 Episode 4
‘Friday 13th’
ft Octavian
WATCH NOW!
FOLLOW SONG MACHINE HERE
Friday 13th is the fourth episode of Song Machine from Gorillaz. A hypnotic meditation featuring French-British rapper and singer Octavian (winner of the coveted BBC Sound of 2019) with video appearances by Octavian, 2D, Noodle, Murdoc and Russel all self-filmed at home during lockdown. Watch Friday 13th ft Octavian NOW!
“Every day starts in the dark, and ends in the dark, but in the middle there is light.” – Russel Hobbs
The virtual band have reacted to current real life events with a statement on their socials about playing a part in the fight for justice and equality and information on how we can all listen, learn and take action. #bethechange
“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced. It is certain, in any case, that ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have.” – James Baldwin
2D recently took time out from contemplation to beam a socially distanced performance of Song Machine Episode 3 Aries into Jimmy Kimmel Live. Watch here.
Watch Episode 1 – Momentary Bliss ft. slowthai and Slaves – here.
Watch Episode 2 – Désolé ft Fatoumata Diawara – here.
Watch Episode 3 – Aries ft Peter Hook and Georgia – here.
Follow Song Machine here to catch Machine Bitez – bite sized conversation between cartoon band members and collaborators, overheard in Kong Studios.
Notes to Editors:
About Gorillaz:
Gorillaz are once again disrupting the paradigm and breaking convention in their round the back door fashion with Song Machine, the newest concept from one of the most inventive bands around. Song Machine – the cartoon music contraption which spits out brand new episodes fresh from the studio, as and when they happen – will see Gorillaz joined by an exciting and ever-evolving roster of as yet unannounced collaborators captured live in Kong Studios alongside the world’s most successful virtual band*. The cameras are rolling 24/7, the fourth wall is broken, the kettle is on, the chaos is real, the door is open… What’s coming next? Stay tuned.
Virtual band Gorillaz is singer 2D, bassist Murdoc Niccals, guitarist Noodle and drummer Russel Hobbs. Created by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett, their acclaimed eponymous debut album was released in 2001. The BRIT and Grammy Award winning band’s subsequent albums are Demon Days (2005), Plastic Beach (2010), The Fall (2011), Humanz (2017) and The Now Now (2018). A truly global phenomenon, Gorillaz have achieved success in entirely ground-breaking ways, touring the world from San Diego to Syria, winning numerous awards including the coveted Jim Henson Creativity Honor.
* The band are recognised by The Guinness Book Of World Records as the planet’s Most Successful Virtual Act.
About Octavian:
With two acclaimed mixtapes to his name (2018’s SPACEMAN and 2019’s Endorphins) and a debut album coming this year, 24 year old London rapper Octavian is one of the most exciting new voices in UK music. Having collaborated with the likes of Skepta, A$AP Ferg, Mura Masa and Diplo, the BET Award-nominated Essie Gang founder has toured with acts as diverse as Christine and the Queens and Travis Scott as well as walking the catwalk for Virgil Abloh’s revitalised Louis Vuitton. Described by i-D Magazine as “the most original and exciting musician to emerge from London’s genre-defying rap scene”, Octavian also won the BBC’s coveted Sound Of award in 2019.