Gorillaz

Conceived and masterminded by Damon Albarn, in cahoots with animator Jamie Hewlett, plus a huge supporting cast of superstars recruited from the full gamut of pop genres, Gorillaz is one of modern music's smartest experiments. Hitched to a virtual band of cartoon characters (2D, Murdoc, Noodle and Russel) the project has allowed Albarn's talents run riot, showcasing everything from a cultured taste in global exotica — check out to the guzheng (a Chinese instrument) played by Zeng Zhen on the one-off charity single "Hong Kong" — to inventive, funky pop: groove to the sidewinding "Dare", featuring Shaun Ryder on vocals, or the supercool electro-pump of 2010's "Stylo". Gorillaz keep the fires of creativity stoked with guest slots for Snoop Dogg and Mark E. Smith, in Next Steps.

Your Gorillaz experience continues here with more sonic head-spinners, including: "Welcome to the World of the Plastic Beach" which places the languid rapping skills of Snoop Dogg over beefy blasts from the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble; the dub-flooded "Dracula" (initially released back in 2001 along with "Clint Eastwood"); and the endlessly catchy Soulchild Remix of "19-2000". Manic, spiralling synth lines tee-up a guest vocal from Mark E. Smith on "Glitter Freeze", while "Heavenly Peach Blanket" from side-project Monkey: Journey to the West occupies an altogether more mellow Oriental space, and the title track from 2005's Demon Days floats on a strangely comforting cloud of fuzz.

We'll admit it . . . back in 2001, when we first heard about Blur front man Damon Albarn's studio-laboratory experiment with Dan "The Automator" Nakamura — a virtual band fleshed out by the animation of Tank Girl creator Jamie Hewlett — we were thinking novelty. Naturally, that was before the "group's" self-titled debut exploded millions of minds with its peanut-butter-in-my-chocolate blend of Britpop and hip-hop, served up with a delicious dollop of dub. Fuelled by the narcotic neck-snap of "Clint Eastwood" and "19-2000", 2D, Murdoc, Noodle, and Russel convinced us that, cartoon or flesh, Gorillaz was every ounce the real deal. Better yet, their follow-up, Demon Days, masterminded by Albarn and mash-up maestro Danger Mouse, reassured us that they were here to stay, while 2010's Plastic Beach (featuring Lou Reed, Mos Def and Gruff Rhys among its personnel) might just be their boldest, most rewarding release to date.