Gorillaz - Tomorrow Comes Today [White & Blue]

Tomorrow Comes Today is where the Gorillaz story began, the 2000 debut EP from Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett's cartoon band, back on white and blue colored vinyl.

Before Clint Eastwood made them a household name, this four-track EP introduced 2-D, Murdoc, Noodle and Russel to the world, with Hewlett's scrappy animation doing as much talking as the music. Albarn, still fronting Blur at the time, was clearly enjoying himself, blending dub, hip-hop and lo-fi melancholy in a way that felt both offhand and strangely futuristic. A quarter of a century on, it is fascinating to hear the blueprint taking shape.

The title track is the centerpiece, a woozy, downbeat lament that set the tone for the virtual band's whole aesthetic. Rock the House brings in Del the Funky Homosapien for a bouncy party cut that would later reappear on the debut album. Latin Simone and 12D3 round out a set that wanders happily between genres without ever losing its sense of humor.

It is brief and playful, and full of ideas that would go on to power a whole career.

For collectors and longtime fans, this pressing is a charming snapshot of a virtual band finding its feet, and the white and blue vinyl makes it a fine piece to display.