Gorillaz: Demon Days

(Herald rating: * * * *)

With his bouncy fringe, droopy eyes and that brilliantly bland, yet sweet, voice, Blur's Damon Albarn could have been a cartoon character himself.

In 2000, along with Tank Girl creator Jamie Hewlett, he did the next best thing and created the virtual band Gorillaz, made up of Noodle (guitar), 2-D (vocals), Murdock (bass) and Russell (drums).

Their self-titled debut from 2001 was a great album, but the novelty value of the band - combined with the equally novel videos for singles such as Clint Eastwood and Tomorrow Comes Today - became the main focus.

So who would have thought Albarn's "hip-hop side project" and novelty band could come back with a second album, let alone one that's better? On Demon Days the great songs and videos remain but this time around it's about a start-to-finish album. Whereas the debut was produced by Dan the Automator (Handsome Boy Modelling School/Lovage), this time the Gorillaz are Albarn and Brian "DJ Danger Mouse" Burton, the man who masterminded mash-up record The Grey Album (a mix of Jay-Z's Black Album and the Beatles White Album).

The involvement of Danger Mouse is possibly why the album is seamless. But every band member, and the long list of guest artists (real or not), plays a part in creating the special sound of Demon Days.

Yes, it does get caught up in its own little world occasionally, which gives it a dreaminess. But isn't music meant to take you to another world? The Gorillaz world is an adventure playground inhabited by fun cronies, roughnecks and cool people.

The first indication that Demon Days will take you to its own quirky little place comes on Dirty Harry (the closest thing to Clint Eastwood), followed by first single Feel Good Inc (a classic dance-floor favourite featuring De La Soul) and the beachy meanderings of El Manana.

A wide-ranging list of guests makes this album even more complete. Where else would you get Neneh Cherry teaming with Happy Monday Shaun Ryder in a delicious jaunt titled DARE? It's the pair's best work in years. Then there's British rapper Roots Manuva, who provides his fluid and fiery flow on All Alone, and Dennis Hopper narrating on Fire Coming Out of a Monkey's Head.

You don't notice it at first, but Albarn's vocals pop up throughout the album to pull the whole thing together. Albarn's hip-hop side project my foot. Make Gorillaz your day job, Damon. You've created a wonderful world.

Label: Parlophone