Gorillaz are the quintessential 21st-century band—virtual, varied and both socially conscious and playfully absurd. Cartoonist Jamie Hewlett handles the animated simian misfits as Blur frontman Damon Albarn masterfully assembles a motley crew of all-star collaborators to fuse pop, hip-hop, electronic and alternative sounds. Albarn's moody croon may be the only constant, but he always finds the perfect partner to lend a vibrant touch. Danger Mouse injects some buoyant boogie-funk into "Dare", and Mos Def and Bobby Womack blast the euphoric electro-funk of "Stylo" straight out of this reality.