Lux Prima

A gloriously wide-screen album, sweeping and epic. ... Lux Prima is a fresh adventure for both, and one that’s both familiar and strikingly new for the listener as well.

What this record does, yet again, is show that Danger Mouse has bulletproof, unassailable taste in music and collaborators. Karen is exactly the right fit for these songs, and she is absolutely the star of the set, thanks in no small part to the incredible production. This isn’t the best record that either of these mercurial artists have made, but it’s undoubtedly the finest collaboration you’ll hear this year. Guaranteed.

What we have here is an album crafted by two high-profile artists that manages to live up to the names involved. It’s somewhat unexpected just how well they mesh, though, crafting songs that don’t sound the part of a first-time collaboration.

Lux Prima is a beautiful little album: Ambitious, dreamy, and short enough to leave you wanting more.

While the sound of Lux Prima feels unexpected based off these artists’ distinct histories, Karen O and Danger Mouse have unlocked a new creative force within each other. They reach their shared destination with little turbulence and quite a gorgeous view to boot. Plus on this trip, all the seats are first class.

While Danger Mouse continues his impeccable track record of collaborations with a wide array of noteworthy artists, and Karen O enchants us with her distinctive warble, Lux Prima proves to be a likable record that is enjoyable on first listen despite its few minor flaws. Repeated plays make it a lovable record as the subtle, ultra-cool textures creep into your consciousness and make for dynamic and vibrant tunes that leave swirling, seraphic sensations playing inside your head.

When "Nox Lumina" closes the album by bringing it full circle, it reaffirms that Lux Prima is the sophisticated, sonically adventurous album Karen O deserves to make at this point in her career.

Lux Prima is an accomplished record--proof that two wildly different minds can work seamlessly together.

Lux Prima is a hypnotic listen.

An expertly fashioned LP from a duo who know how to add style to substance. [May 2019, p.115]

A bold redrawing of creative frontiers, Lux Prima is a gamble that pays off, handsomely. [Apr 2019, p.88]

Lux feels refreshing in the freedom and desire to explore new territory, resulting in a win for both.

Lux Prima works better as a journey than a destination. It never sounds better than when going nowhere fast, its charmingly anachronistic sound at odds with the sharply engineered hustle of the modern pop world. Karen O and Danger Mouse have dreamt up a vividly imagined world, and it’s a pleasure to get lost in it. With a little more freedom, it could have been divine.

Karen O and Danger Mouse have a story to tell on Lux Prima; though not a traditional concept album, it does create a luscious portrayal of a small blinding light in the seemingly infinite dark.

Lux Prima certainly isn't Karen O's most urgent or explosive work, but it all sounds exceptionally lovely.

The innate desire of musical exploration of both artists is clear for all to see on Lux Prima; a complex but ultimately rewarding listen.

This album’s default seltzer dynamics are superbly well appointed, but the aim of many of these songs is often occluded by Burton’s knee-jerk tastefulness.

While it is endearing to hear Karen O working with a more patient form of songwriting, the raw energy and emotion of her best work isn’t here.

Lounge-pop numbers reminiscent of Air or early Goldfrapp aren’t quite as arresting, but the whole album casts a lingering spell.