After a fortnight of speculation, the new Gorillaz track featuring The Cure’s Robert Smith alighted from the Song Machine universe today. Making its debut on Steve Lamacq’s BBC Radio 6 programme, the glittering collaboration entitled “Strange Timez,” a clear nod to the world’s current chaos, shuttles us away from Earth into the cosmos. Back-and-forth vocals by Smith and Damon Albarn, the Blur co-founder and sonic force behind Gorillaz, steer as co-pilots atop a musical intro evoking twisted “The Caterpillar” vibes.

The animated video directed by Jamie Hewlett, Albarn’s partner in crime, sees the Gorillaz gang jetting off in their motorhome spacecraft en route to the Moon, which bears the face of Smith himself. As the crew navigate the unfamiliar lunar terrain, Smith’s countenance appears like an otherworldly apparition—reminiscent of Twin Peaks: The Return—helping them complete their orbital mission.

Before launching into “Strange Timez,” Lamacq interviewed both singers, who explained that the song ignited over email, with Smith receiving “excellent” though intentionally vague kindling as inspiration. Smith had just finished vocals for the final “intense doom and gloom” track of the upcoming Cure album and was eager to turn his attention to something fun and unexpected. Albarn’s initial sketch had an element of “travel” and triggered Smith’s stargazing tendencies, which have manifested in Cure songs like “Jupiter Crash” (1996) and “More Than This” (1998)—not to mention the long-anticipated new album tentatively called “Live from the Moon.”

For fans starving for a proper Cure record, which Smith has teased for anywhere between two and twelve years (depending on which tidbit you wanted to believe), “Strange Timez” offers a glimmer of hope that 2020 just might be the year. But, of course, Smith won’t commit. “I’ll just come up with an imaginary date,” he said. As expected, beloved imaginary boy….

In the meantime, just “fly me to the moon,” I guess.

Note: As an Amazon affiliate partner, Albumism may earn commissions from purchases of vinyl records, CDs and digital music featured on our site.

WATCH: