What does the man who made mash-ups a household word do for a second act? A cartoon concept album. That's the gist of Danger Mouse's new project, a collaboration with indie hip hop star MF Doom. Two years ago, the pair were making music together as Dangerdoom, when they discovered a mutual love for kooky animation. Before long, toon-inspired lyrics and audio samples from shows like Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Space Ghost ended up in the recording. "The Adult Swim stuff was the greatest thing on TV," Danger says. "Me and Doom were always watching."
The result is a new album called The Mouse and the Mask, which follows the adventures of a rodent superhero named - you guessed it - Dangerdoom, who kicks it with characters from the Cartoon Network's late-night shows (Harvey Birdman, Brak, and the gang from Sealab 2021 contribute vocals). Look for the hip hop crime-fighter in a series of Adult Swim promotional spots and a music video set to air in November.
Danger's bouncy beats provide the perfect backdrop for Doom's laid-back lyricism, as the MC gives props to Judy Jetson and runs down his favorite animated fare. "Anyone who listens to this music is a kid at heart," Doom says. "It brings you back to when cartoons were the last bastion of good fun."
- Ken Taylor
Dangerdoom: MF Doom (left) and Danger Mouse together are the rodent superhero.
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