He's best known for his work in Blur and Gorillaz, but it looks like he's finally struck out on his own for a solo album. This first track that he's put has me really excited for the full release. Carried by a dissonant violin sequence, Albarn manages to compliment it quite well with a subtle chord progression played on a piano. The percussion is minimal as well, but the accents are arranged in such a way that makes it feel like a bigger arrangement. A sequence of rim clicks fill out the spaces between the 2-and-4 snare accents and the kick drum is aligned directly with the bass line. On top of that, you've got a great harmonic layering, with a nice melody that is supported by intertwining harmonies coming from both violins and backing vocals. This all works very nicely with Albarn's soft, melodic lead vocal, which sets the tone for the song. The entire work is elegantly done, and laced with a few effects as well as a sample of Lord Buckley's hipsemantic rant on Alvar Nunez Cabeza De Vaca to add some character.

Let us know about some of your favorite musical arrangements down in the comments!