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By Sofia Giarrusso, Staff Writer
A LONG-STANDING COLLABORATIVE PAIR
Karen O and Danger Mouse have returned with a new collaboration on the laid-back single, “Super Breath!” The pair’s 2019 album Lux Prima garnered critical acclaim and left fans hungering for more. Alas, five years into the present, “Super Breath” has satisfied with suave. The slight distortion and layered instrumentation on the track are iconic mainstays of Danger Mouse’s production style, while Karen O’s hauntingly piercing performance is addicting. With the richness of “Super Breath,” the two have again proved that they are continual forces to be reckoned with.
Both musicians are well-seasoned pioneers of the alternative music scenes throughout the 21st century. Karen O is best known as the frontwoman of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. With hits like “Maps,” “Y Control,” and “Heads Will Roll,” she shook up the rock industry in NYC in the 2000s. Karen O quickly became an it-girl with her unabridged persona and sensibility in an era when women in rock were rarely given the spotlight. Her talent continues to impress as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ 2022 album Cool It Down and supporting tour delighted critics and fans alike.
Danger Mouse (Brain Burton) is a multi-Grammy award-winning producer whose resume is both extensive and wildly impressive. From Gorillaz to the Black Keys to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Danger Mouse’s fingerprint is all slathered over modern music history. His style blends hip-hop with rock that favors drum-driven beats and catchy hooks. Burton is notorious for his collaboration duos with one being, of course, with Karen O. In addition, he is one-half of Gnarls Barkley (with CeeLo Green), Broken Bells (with James Mercer of the Shins), and DANGERDOOM (with MF DOOM) and has released albums with Sparklehorse, Black Thought, and Daniele Luppi.
THE SOUND OF “SUPER BREATH”
“Super Breath” is an unearthed product from the Lux Prima recordings, yet it sounds fresh as ever–a testament to the longevity of Karen O and Danger Mouse. The track comes in timid and somewhat detached, picking up speed and gaining fervor as drums, keys, and synths build on top of each other. By the chorus, Karen O’s vocals become slightly warped as she proclaims, “Our love is right / But you know I'm not satisfied.” A simple theme of heartbreak and longing saturates the track by way of intelligent lyricism. “Push me aside / I die each time / I'm not your fool,” Karen O expresses in the second verse, highlighting a sense of tepidness within such yearning.
This collaboration track is melodic and downtempo but never gets sleepy thanks to an infectious backing beat. As “Super Breath” grows to a close, the instrumentation returns to where it started as Karen O fades out singing, “You don't need to like that feelin'.”
WHAT’S NEXT FOR KAREN O AND DANGER MOUSE?
A reissue of Lux Prima is to be released on September 20 along with 7” vinyls of “Super Breath” and a cover of Lou Reed’s “Perfect Day” to be available as well. Both Karen O and Danger Mouse haven’t yet announced any new projects, but fans can expect more in the future for these alternative greats.
