Gorillaz have collaborated with The Cure's Robert Smith

12 September 2020, 16:00 | Updated: 16 September 2020, 16:32

Gorillaz - Strange Timez ft. Robert Smith (Episode Six)

Hear Strange Timez as the legendary singer is enlisted for the band's ongoing Song Machine series.

Gorillaz' latest collaborator is Robert Smith of The Cure.

The virtual band, masterminded by Blur frontman Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett - have been releasing collaborations as part of their ongoing Song Machine project.

Gorillaz tweeted: "Coming up on Song Machine... It's @RobertSmith. Follow your nearest Song Machine NOW!"

The track is called Strange Timez and is available to stream now. It comes hot on the heels of PAC-MAN with ScHoolboy Q and Friday 13th with French rapper Octavian.

The first "season" of Song Machine will last 10 episodes and will be compiled into an album that will be included in a special Gorillaz "annual" called Almanac, to be released in October.

Song Machine kicked off in January with Momentary Bliss with rapper Slowthai and and punk duo Slaves, followed by Désolé with Fatoumata Diawara, Aries with Joy Division/New Order man Peter Hook and Georgia, and How Far? featuring Skepta, which was a tribute to late drummer Tony Allen.

Gorillaz - Aries ft. Peter Hook & Georgia (Episode Three)

Fictional frontman Murdoc Niccals said of the series: "Song Machine is a whole new way of doing what we do, Gorillaz breaking the mould 'cos the mould got old. World is moving faster than a supercharged particle, so we’ve gotta stay ready to drop.

"We don’t even know who's stepping through the studio next. Song Machine feeds on the unknown, runs on pure chaos. So whatever the hell’s coming, we’re primed and ready to produce like there’s no tomorrow."

Meanwhile, The Cure are currently working on the follow-up to their 2008 album 4:13 Dream.

The band's keyboard player Roger O'Donnell revealed he and frontman Robert Smith didn't want to release another album unless it lived up to their high expectations.

He told Classic Pop magazine recently "Four years ago, I said to Robert, 'We have to make one more record. It has to be the most intense, saddest, most dramatic and most emotional record we've ever made, and then we can just walk away from it.' He agreed. Listening to the demos, it is that record. I think everybody will be happy with it.

"The problem is, it's 12 years since the last album so it becomes precious. When you've got a back catalogue like The Cure, it's a lot to live up to. Robert has said, 'If The Cure say any more, it had better be important and it had better be f***ing good'. It is, it's going to be an amazing record. I just suggest a little patience."