Lux Prima Explained

Lux Prima
Type:	studio
Artist:	Karen O and Danger Mouse
Cover:	Karen O and Danger Mouse - Lux Prima.png
Genre:	Psychedelic rock orchestral pop trip hop
Label:	BMG
Producer:	Danger Mouse
Chronology:	Karen O
Prev Title:	Crush Songs
Prev Year:	2014

Lux Prima is a collaborative studio album by American singer-songwriter Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Danger Mouse. It was released in March 2019 under BMG Records.

Composition

With Lux Prima, the duo craft "sprawling, soulful [and] cinematic" psych rock.^[1] 1960s orchestral pop and the "packed and dusty" sound of 1990s trip hop are also worked in.^[2] Other styles featured include disco, funk, soul, and lounge-pop.

Reception

Lux Prima was well received by critics upon release. The Guardian called it "complex and lingering," praising Karen O's songwriting in particular.^[3] Pitchfork also praised the album, recognising Karen O and Danger Mouse had "concocted a lush, vivid world on their dreamy and poignant collaboration." Pitchfork did critisize the choruses on the record, saying "Lux Prima works better as a journey than a destination"..."that never sounds better when going nowhere fast." They awarded the album a score of 7.3.^[4]

Track listing

All music produced by Danger Mouse.

Personnel

Sourced from AllMusic.

Karen O & Danger Mouse

• Karen Orzolek - lead & background vocals, synthesizers, electric guitar, acoustic guitar ; string arrangements
• Brian Burton - background vocals, synth bass, Wurlitzer, synthesizers, percussion, drum programming, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass, drums, strings, organ, Mellotron, programming ; horn & string arrangements

Additional musicians

• Sam Cohen - bass, electric guitar, synthesizer, drums
• David Christian - drums
• Héctor Delgado - drum programming
  • Jared Samuel - piano, Wurlitzer, Rhodes Nick Zinner - electric guitars
• Daniele Luppi - string arrangements, string conductor
  • Mei Chang, Sharon Jackson, Marina Manukian, Cameron Patrick, Benjamin Powell, Kathleen Robertson, Erika Walczak - violin
  • Adriana Zoppo - viola
  • Stefanie Fife - cello

Charts

Chart (2019)! scope="col"

Peak position
Australian Digital Albums (ARIA)^[5]	28

Notes and References

1. Web site: Karen O and Danger Mouse Made an Album. It Only Took 11 Years.. Ganz. Caryn. March 6, 2019. The New York Times. February 10, 2022. March 30, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230330222526/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/06/arts/music/karen-o-danger-mouse-lux-prima.html. live.
2. Web site: Album Review: Karen O & Danger Mouse's 'Lux Prima'. Ashad. Jem. March 15, 2019. Variety. February 22, 2022. August 8, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240808230932/https://variety.com/2019/music/reviews/album-review-karen-o-danger-mouses-lux-prima-1203164322/. live.
3. News: Karen O & Danger Mouse: Lux Prima review – complex and lingering . The Guardian . 2019-03-15 . 2024-08-06 . 2019-04-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190426173738/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/mar/15/karen-o-danger-mouse-lux-prima-review-yeah-yeah-yeahs-bmg . live .
4. News: Lux Prima . Pitchfork . Pitchfork . 2019-03-18 . 2024-08-06 . 2024-08-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240806130521/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/karen-o-danger-mouse-lux-prima/ . live .
5. Web site: ARIA Australian Top 50 Digital Albums. Australian Recording Industry Association. March 25, 2019. March 23, 2019. March 23, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190323115811/http://cdn.aria.com.au/pdfs/CF60D26C961677A1DE82A21464F4D403123A6593446E42AF0B776FB2F538A083/ARIA%20Digital%20Albums%20Chart.pdf?seq=24. live.