{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}} {{Infobox song | name = Momentary Bliss | cover = Gorillaz - Momentary Bliss.png | alt = | type = single | artist = Gorillaz featuring Slowthai and Slaves | album = Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez | B-side = | released = {{Start date|2020|1|30|df=yes}} | recorded = November 2019 | studio = * Studio 13 (London, UK) * Dean's List House of Hits (Cypress, Texas, US) | genre = {{hlist|Punk rock|electronic|pop-punk|ska|hip hop|Britpop|reggae rock}} | length = 3:41 | label = {{hlist|Parlophone|Warner}} | writer = {{hlist|Damon Albarn|Tyron Frampton|Isaac Holman{{dot}}Laurie Vincent|Remi Kabaka Jr.|Mike Dean<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/129197727/credits|title=Credits / Song Machine Episode 1|website=TIDAL|date=30 January 2020 |access-date=2020-05-26}}</ref>}} | producer = {{hlist|Gorillaz|Mike Dean|Remi Kabaka Jr.}} | chronology = Gorillaz | prev_title = Tranz | prev_year = 2018 | next_title = Désolé | next_year = 2020 | misc = {{Extra chronology | artist = Slowthai | type = singles | prev_title = Deal Wiv It | prev_year = 2019 | title = Momentary Bliss | year = 2020 | next_title = Enemy | next_year = 2020 }} {{Extra chronology | artist = Slaves | type = singles | prev_title = Magnolia | prev_year = 2018 | title = Momentary Bliss | year = 2020 | next_title = One More Day Won't Hurt | next_year = 2020 }} {{External music video|{{YouTube|QTt7301PR5k|"Momentary Bliss"}}}} }}
"'''Momentary Bliss'''" is a song by British virtual band Gorillaz, featuring British rapper Slowthai and the Kent-based punk rock duo Slaves. The song was the first song to be released for Gorillaz' ''Song Machine'' initiative, a web series consisting of singles and music videos released over the course of the year from the band, with each episode featuring different guest musicians. The song was also the first single released for their seventh studio album, ''Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez''.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/gorillaz-new-music-video-series-song-machine-details-944519/|title=Gorillaz Detail New Music, Video Series 'Song Machine'|last=Blistein|first=Jon|date=2020-01-29|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=2020-01-30}}</ref> This was the final single before Slaves changed their band name to "Soft Play".
==Background and recording== "Momentary Bliss" was recorded in the summer of 2019 at Damon Albarn's Studio 13 in West London. Albarn had previously worked with Slaves as part of the Africa Express project, with the band also previously working with Slowthai on his album ''Nothing Great About Britain'', on the song "Missing".<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000drwj|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200131091345/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000drwj|url-status=dead|archive-date=31 January 2020|title=Radio 1's Future Sounds with Annie Mac - Gorillaz, slowthai and Slaves - BBC Sounds|website=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref>
The song was announced as being the first of eleven tracks to be released from Gorillaz' ''Song Machine'' initiative, which sees the band release a new song every month with previously unannounced collaborators. Damon Albarn and Remi Kabaka spoke to BBC Radio 1's Annie Mac for the song's official premiere, saying that ''Song Machine'' "may have an obtuse narrative arc at the end of each season, but it's more ''Ozark'', than ''Designated Survivor''. You just keep going until you run out of ideas."<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/gorillaz-slowthai-slaves-momentary-bliss-song-machine-945697/|title=Gorillaz Debut 'Song Machine' Series With 'Momentary Bliss'|first1=Jon|last1=Blistein|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=January 30, 2020}}</ref><ref name="auto"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://diymag.com/2020/01/31/watch-gorillaz-new-video-momentary-bliss-featuring-slowthai-slaves|title=Gorillaz unveil 'Momentary Bliss' video, featuring slowthai and Slaves|website=diymag.com|date=31 January 2020 }}</ref>
A press release was put out to explain the initiative further, with virtual Gorillaz member Russel Hobbs saying: "''Song Machine'' is a whole new way of doing what we do, Gorillaz breaking the mould 'cos the mould got old. World is moving faster than a supercharged particle, so we've gotta stay ready to drop. We don't even know who's stepping through the studio next. ''Song Machine'' feeds on the unknown, runs on pure chaos. So whatever the hell's coming, we're primed and ready to produce like there's no tomorrow."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/song-machine-gorillaz-team-up-with-slowthai-and-slaves-for-new-online-series-2602750|title=Song Machine: Gorillaz team up with Slowthai and Slaves for new online series|website=NME |date=January 29, 2020}}</ref>
==Composition== Critics have described the single as punk rock,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/news/gorillaz-link-with-slowthai-slaves-on-momentary-bliss|title=Gorillaz Link With slowthai, Slaves On 'Momentary Bliss'|website=Clash Magazine|date=31 January 2020 }}</ref><ref name="Ingvaldsen">{{Cite web|last=Ingvaldsen|first=Torsten|date=30 January 2020|title=Gorillaz Tap slowthai & Slaves for New Single "Momentary Bliss"|url=https://hypebeast.com/2020/1/gorillaz-momentary-bliss-ft-slowthai-slaves-episode-one-single-stream|access-date=22 October 2020|website=HypeBeast}}</ref> electronic,<ref name="Ingvaldsen"/> pop-punk,<ref>{{cite magazine|url= https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/gorillaz-slowthai-slaves-momentary-bliss-song-machine-945697/|title=Gorillaz Debut 'Song Machine' Series With 'Momentary Bliss'|magazine=Rolling Stone}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Blistein|first=Jon|date=30 January 2020|title=Gorillaz Debut 'Song Machine' Series With 'Momentary Bliss'|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/gorillaz-slowthai-slaves-momentary-bliss-song-machine-945697/|access-date=22 October 2020|website=RollingStone}}</ref> ska,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Blinstein|first=Jon|date=30 January 2020|title=Gorillaz Debut 'Song Machine" Series With 'Momentary Bliss'|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/gorillaz-slowthai-slaves-momentary-bliss-song-machine-945697/|access-date=22 October 2020|website=RollingStone}}</ref> hip hop,<ref name="iowastatedaily.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.iowastatedaily.com/limelight/gorillaz-song-machine-video-series-new-music-electronic-rap-punk-genre-video-songs/article_956d0494-490c-11ea-a7ad-db6d3abdc14f.html|title=Gorillaz' "Song Machine" video series to feature new songs and more|website=Iowa State Daily}}</ref> britpop<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ward|first=Billy|date=31 January 2020|title=Gorillaz team up with slowthai and Slaves for Britpop-inspired track 'Momentary Bliss'|url=https://www.dummymag.com/|access-date=4 November 2020|website=Dummy}}</ref> and reggae rock.<ref name="iowastatedaily.com" /> Mark Beaumont of The Independent described the song as “sci-fi ska”.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Beaumont|first=Mark|date=22 October 2020|title=Gorillaz review, Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez - the finest Gorillaz album in a decade|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/gorillaz-review-strange-timez-song-machine-damon-albarn-robert-smith-b1156905.html|access-date=22 October 2020|website=The Independent}}</ref> Thereafter, Thomas Smith of NME noted the punk timbre, describing the song as a “punk rager”.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Smith|first=Thomas|date=22 October 2020|title=Gorillaz - 'Song Machine: Season One - Strange Times' review: bingeable brilliance from the pop oddballs|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/gorillaz-song-machine-strange-timez-season-one-review-2793798|access-date=22 October 2020|website=NME}}</ref>
Damon Albarn utilizes an interpolation of the chorus of "Lovely Rita" by The Beatles; this interpolation takes place before Slowthai's first verse, before 2-D's verse, and in both Holman's intro and ending chorus.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Black|first=Noah|date=10 February 2020|title=Gorillaz Track Deprives Listeners of "Momentary Bliss"|url=http://mcccagora.com/2020/02/10/gorillaz-track-deprives-listeners-of-momentary-bliss/|website=Agora}}</ref>
==Music video== The song's music video was filmed at Albarn's studio in West London, featuring both Slowthai and Slaves. The video which premiered on 30 January 2020 features the band's animated characters recording the song with guests. The video also marked the return of Murdoc Niccals, who had been absent from the band's sixth studio album ''The Now Now''.
In the video, directed by Jamie Hewlett, Tim McCourt, and Max Taylor, Murdoc attempts to poison Albarn's drink during a recording session but ends up becoming sick after observing no side effects and testing the poison on himself.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTt7301PR5k|title=Gorillaz - Momentary Bliss ft. slowthai & Slaves (Episode One)|date=30 January 2020 |via=www.youtube.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://liveforlivemusic.com/news/gorillaz-song-machine-momentary-bliss/|title=Gorillaz Release 'Song Machine' Episode One: "Momentary Bliss", Featuring Slowthai & Slaves [Listen]|date=January 30, 2020|website=L4LM}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://floodmagazine.com/73949/watch-gorillaz-jam-with-slowthai-and-slaves-in-momentary-bliss-video/|title=WATCH: Gorillaz Jam with slowthai and Slaves in "Momentary Bliss" Video|website=FLOOD}}</ref>
==Tracklist== {{tracklist | total_length = 6:21 | extra_column = Producers | title1 = Machine Bitez #1 | note1 = with 2-D, Murdoc and Russel | length1 = 0:43 | title2 = Momentary Bliss | note2 = featuring Slowthai and Slaves | writer2 = {{hlist|Damon Albarn|Remi Kabaka Jr.|Tyron Frampton|Laurie Vincent{{dot}}Isaac Holman|Mike Dean}} | extra2 = {{hlist|Gorillaz|Dean|Kabaka}} | length2 = 3:41 | title3 = Machine Bitez #2 | note3 = with 2-D and Slaves | length3 = 0:56 | title4 = Machine Bitez #3 | note4 = with 2-D and Slowthai | length4 = 1:01 }}
==Personnel== '''Gorillaz''' * Damon Albarn – vocals, instrumentation, director, guitar * Jamie Hewlett – artwork, character design, video direction * Remi Kabaka Jr. – drum programming
'''Additional musicians and personnel''' *Slowthai – vocals *Laurie Vincent – guitar, vocals *Isaac Holman – drums, vocals *Mike Dean – drum programming *Stephen Sedgwick – mixing engineer, engineering *Samuel Egglenton – engineering *John Davis – mastering engineer
==Charts== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- ! scope="col"| Chart (2020) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- {{single chart|Flanders Tip|29|artist=Gorillaz feat. Slowthai & Slaves|song=Momentary Bliss|rowheader=true|accessdate=29 February 2020}} |- ! scope="row"| Ireland (IRMA)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://irma.ie/index.cfm?page=irish-charts&chart=Singles|title=IRMA – Irish Charts|publisher=Irish Recorded Music Association|accessdate=8 February 2020}}</ref> | 74 |- ! scope="row"| New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/hot-singles/2020-02-07|title=NZ Hot Singles Chart|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|date=10 February 2020|access-date=8 February 2020}}</ref> | 17 |- {{single chart|UK|58|date=20200207|rowheader=true|accessdate=8 February 2020}} |- {{single chart|Billboardrocksongs|3|artist=Gorillaz|rowheader=true|accessdate=11 February 2020}} |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Song Machine}} {{Gorillaz singles}} {{Authority control}}
Category:2019 songs Category:2020 singles Category:Gorillaz songs Category:British pop punk songs Category:British punk rock songs Category:Parlophone singles Category:Reggae rock songs Category:Slowthai songs Category:Songs written by Damon Albarn Category:Songs written by Mike Dean (record producer) Category:Songs written by Remi Kabaka Jr. Category:Songs written by Slowthai Category:Song Machine Category:Warner Records singles