Gorillaz/Gnarls Barkley...etc?

[Nikita]

I find I'm really digging these types of music more and more. (I think one of the guys from Gorillaz actually helped with the Gnarls Barkley album. I thought I read that somewhere but can't remember where.)

Anyway, I'm looking for groups that have this type of sound. Not quite hiphop, not quite techo, not quite R&B, not quite pop or dance, but more a combination of all those qualities. I like these groups because they are more "unique" sounding. It's hard to lump them into just one category.

Any recommendations for more of these types of groups?

[Leslie Lee III]

Faithless, Basement Jaxx, Massive Attack, Tricky.

[The Mirrorball Man]

While many bands have mixed all these elements before (Leslie listed some of them), Damon Albarn, Dan the Automator and Danger Mouse came up with a unique sound for the Gorillaz albums, one that doesn't have a lot of direct equivalents.

With Gnarls Barkley, Danger Mouse offered us spun the Gorillaz sound in a new direction.

The Dan The Automator / Del Da Funky Homosapien album "Deltron 3030" is in many ways the true prequel to the Gorillaz project (Damon Albarn even makes a cameo), although it is more of a hip hop album than anything else.

Blur's last album, "Think Tank" also has many similarities with Gorillaz, though it isn't quite as good and is more of a pop album.

The latest Damian Marley's album "Welcome to Jamrock", mixes soul, hip hop, techno, pop with reggae and ragga in a playful manner that is similar to Gorillaz'.

[elheffe]

Damon Albarn's new band, The Good, The Bad And The Queen has a similar Gorillaz sound but now he has The Clash's Paul Simonon and the Verve's Simon Tong helping out.

[Nikita]

Faithless, Basement Jaxx, Massive Attack, Tricky.

Massive Attack! I completely forgot about them. I used to listen to them years ago.

[Nikita]

While many bands have mixed all these elements before (Leslie listed some of them), Damon Albarn, Dan the Automator and Danger Mouse came up with a unique sound for the Gorillaz albums, one that doesn't have a lot of direct equivalents.

With Gnarls Barkley, Danger Mouse offered us spun the Gorillaz sound in a new direction.

The Dan The Automator / Del Da Funky Homosapien album "Deltron 3030" is in many ways the true prequel to the Gorillaz project (Damon Albarn even makes a cameo), although it is more of a hip hop album than anything else.

Blur's last album, "Think Tank" also has many similarities with Gorillaz, though it isn't quite as good and is more of a pop album.

The latest Damian Marley's album "Welcome to Jamrock", mixes soul, hip hop, techno, pop with reggae and ragga in a playful manner that is similar to Gorillaz'.

That's what I was wondering about. I haven't heard anything else like these groups. Except maybe something like Moby. (as far as music that's more "unique" sounding compared to just regular pop)

I can't remember the name of the group that had a hit song where Christopher Walken was dancing around the in the video. Was that Fatboy Slim?

[Nikita]

Damon Albarn's new band, The Good, The Bad And The Queen has a similar Gorillaz sound but now he has The Clash's Paul Simonon and the Verve's Simon Tong helping out.

The Verve and Blur, too other groups I forgot about.

What do you guys think of The Chemical Brothers?

[TheLazy]

R.e.m. ?

:)

[Nikita]

R.e.m. ?

:)

I consider them a "standard" rock/pop group. The type of sound I'm looking for is more "techno/hiphop". Or "dreamy pop/rock".

[TheLazy]

Dreamy pop/rock is definately Coldplay's thing. Also, if you like Gnarls Barkley and dont mind something a bit out there, then try Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention.

I think there arent that many electro/hip-hop/pop/rock/jazz bands out there. Thats why bands such as The Gorillaz or Gnarls Barkley have such critical acclaim, even if they dnt have as much as a commercial impact as they deserve. Theres a small hardcore(as in emo)/trance band from the UK though, called Enter Shikari which might have that kind of fusion sound your looking for?Their pretty good, and this is from a metalhead.

:)

[Jonathan Bogart]

I think there arent that many electro/hip-hop/pop/rock/jazz bands out there. Thats why bands such as The Gorillaz or Gnarls Barkley have such critical acclaim, even if they dnt have as much as a commercial impact as they deserve.

Are you kidding? They're commercial blockbusters; I see them as the vanguard of a new trend.

Oukast is plowing the same kind of ground (and was long before Gnarls and Gorillaz were around). Going more Britpop, Lily Allen's mashup pop, the Streets' post-urban recitatives and Tom Waits' album Real Gone, which I think of as "hobo hip-hop," all do similar things for me. Gwen Stefani's loopy, restless solo albums and Missy Elliott's amazing singles also genre-bend in a satisfyingly pop way. Even DJ Premier's songs for Cristina Aguilera fit the "classic pop with a modern sound" (or is it "modern pop with a classic sound"?) dynamic. Jamie Lidell's funky combinaton of electro and classic soul fits in there somewhere too.

And The Collected Works of Timbaland really pushes the edge of the same envelope.

[TheLazy]

Are you kidding? They're commercial blockbusters; I see them as the vanguard of a new trend.

They have respectable sales, but considering their tallent, they should be holding multiple Top 20 spots for singles and should be breaking records in each respective genre with their albums. Although their albums do defy generic conventions in the traditional sense.

Here in the UK the Gorillaz have never had a #1 as far as i know, and GB has only had a #1 single with "Crazy". And IMO Smiley faces is the best song off of the album.

Look at Elvis, the Beatles, or Michael Jackson as vanguards of new trends. Hell even Jimi Hendrix and Nirvana, whilst not having earth shattering sales, had a a ridiculous amount of attention from media and fans. I dont feel people apprieciate these bands enough to warrent them as commercial blockbusters. Sure, they are succesful, but so was Pete Burns, i doubt anyone will remember him in 20 years. Everyone is going to rember Jimi Hendrix, even if it is just as guitar playing stoner with an 'fro.

Oukast is plowing the same kind of ground (and was long before Gnarls and Gorillaz were around). Going more Britpop, Lily Allen's mashup pop, the Streets' post-urban recitatives and Tom Waits' album Real Gone, which I think of as "hobo hip-hop," all do similar things for me. Gwen Stefani's loopy, restless solo albums and Missy Elliott's amazing singles also genre-bend in a satisfyingly pop way. Even DJ Premier's songs for Cristina Aguilera fit the "classic pop with a modern sound" (or is it "modern pop with a classic sound"?) dynamic. Jamie Lidell's funky combinaton of electro and classic soul fits in there somewhere too.

And The Collected Works of Timbaland really pushes the edge of the same envelope.

I dnt like Gwen Stiffani, Missy Elliot, Timbaland, or Lilly Allen, but yeah, I agree with the Outkast thing.

[Motormouse]

Try some "Ninja Tunes", DJ Shadow, some early LTJ Bookem, Galliano, Kruder & Dorfmeister, David Holmes.:rolleyes:

[Jonathan Bogart]

Look at Elvis, the Beatles, or Michael Jackson as vanguards of new trends.

Elvis, the Beatles, and Michael Jackson were the commercial apex of their respective genres; the vanguard, the originators, the people who first showed that it could be done successfully, generally did not go on to such all-conquering heights. That's where I think the Gorillaz and Gnarls Barkley are at.

[Sanagi]

Maybe the music is good, but Gnarls Barkley is the worst band name since Alter Bridge.