How Far?

"How Far?" is a song by British virtual band Gorillaz, featuring Tony Allen and Skepta. The track was released on 2 May 2020 without any prior announcement as the fourth single for Gorillaz' seventh studio album, Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez. It is part of the Song Machine project, a web series involving the ongoing release of various Gorillaz singles and music videos featuring different guest musicians over the course of 2020, though it is not considered an official episode of the series. The single marks the first posthumously released material featuring Tony Allen (which was released two days after Allen's death), as well as the final song to be recorded during Allen's lifetime.

For the Martina McBride song, see How Far.
"How Far?"
Single by Gorillaz featuring Tony Allen and Skepta
from the album Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez (Deluxe edition)
Released2 May 2020 (2020-05-02)
RecordedMarch 2020
StudioStudio 13
Genre
Length2:46
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Gorillaz singles chronology
"Aries"
(2020)		 "How Far?"
(2020)		 "Friday 13th"
(2020)
Skepta singles chronology
"Waze"
(2020)		 "How Far?"
(2020)		 "Show Out"
(2020)
Tony Allen singles chronology
"Gun to the Head"
(2018)		 "How Far?"
(2020)
Audio
"How Far?" on YouTube

Background

"How Far?" was written and recorded in the weeks prior to lockdown as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] It was the last song from the album to be recorded in studio before lockdown was ordered.[4]

On 30 April 2020, Tony Allen, an afrobeat drummer featured on the song, died of abdominal aortic aneurysm at the age of 79.[5] Allen had previously worked with Gorillaz founder, Damon Albarn, through a band called The Good, the Bad & the Queen, where both participated as members of through the 2000s.[6]

Without any prior announcement, "How Far?" released a few days later on 2 May 2020, as a standalone audio with no accompanying video or episodic EP like other Song Machine releases. According to a press release, the song was released as an official tribute to Allen.[7]

Tracklist
No.TitleWriter(s)ProducersLength
1."How Far?" (featuring Tony Allen and Skepta)
2:46
Total length:2:46

Personnel

Gorillaz

  • Damon Albarn – instrumentation, director, keyboards, guitar, melodica
  • Jamie Hewlett – artwork, character design, video direction
  • Stephen Sedgwick – mixing engineer, engineering
  • Remi Kabaka Jr. – percussion
  • John Davis – mastering engineer
  • Samuel Egglenton – engineering

Additional musicians

Additional artwork

  • Bernard Benant – photography

References
  1. "Gorillaz Continue to Exude Colorful Chemistry on Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez: Review". Consequence Of Sound. 20 October 2020.
  2. "Gorillaz, Tony Allen, Skepta – How Far?". Euphoria. 10 May 2020.
  3. "Gorillaz Pay Tribute to Tony Allen With New Song 'How Far?'". Rolling Stone. 2 May 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  4. "Damon Albarn breaks down Gorillaz 'Song Machine' track by track X-Posure Radio X". YouTube. 3 November 2020.
  5. Daniel Kreps; Elias Leight (30 April 2020). "Tony Allen, Pioneering Afrobeat Drummer, Dead at 79". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  6. "Damon Albarn forms new band". NME. 28 July 2006. Retrieved 28 July 2006.
  7. "Gorillaz Share New Song "How Far?" With Tony Allen and Skepta: Listen". Pitchfork. 2 May 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
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