Mura Masa releases stirring new Damon Albarn collaboration, ‘Blu’ [Stream]

by: Will McCarthy Jun 29, 2017

Watching as Mura Masa systematically unveils his self-titled debut album over the past few months has been an intriguing process. Mura Masa, which is a mere two weeks away from its July 14 release, already has succeeded critically in the space between dance music, hip hop, and pop. The LP’s available singles – “Love$ick,” “1 Night,” and “All Around the World” – see Mura Masa astutely match the styles of his respective collaborators, A$AP Rocky, Charli XCX, and Desiigner.

Today, June 29, the British producer released perhaps the most exciting single from the album to date. Closely following the hype of his recent Gorillaz revival album, Damon Albarn joins Mura Masa for “Blu,” a lush, emotive, but most importantly, structurally dynamic output. Through thoughtful arrangements and modulated vocal layering, the producer gives Albarn’s voice a James Blake quality (à la “Lindisfarne“), which a thoroughly engaging platform for the Blur frontman.