Plastic Beach

With its sultry, throbbing bassline, genre-defying melodic turns and surprising guests, “Stylo” arguably represents Gorillaz' entire sonic approach in microcosm. But while this hypnotic blast of future-soul—propelled by guest vocals from Mos Def and Bobby Womack—is an undoubted high point, it’s by no means the only rich pleasure on this epic, dizzyingly collaborative third album. Inspired by experimentation with opera and bolstered by more fantasy cameos (including Lou Reed), it’s the virtual band’s boldest statement yet.