Originally released on Lex Records in 2003 it has been out of print for a number of years and is now being reissued to coincide with the release of Born Again. Featuring guest appearances from tha Liks , J- Zone , Prince Po , and the Pharcyde.

TRACK LISTING

1. Born-A-MC
2. Ghetto Pop Life (Intro)
3. Ghetto Pop Life
4. Omega Supreme (Who?!)
5. What U Sittin On?
6. The Only One
7. Take Care Of Business
8. That Brookyln Shit
9. Yoo-Hoo!
10. Copy Cats
11. Don't Do Drugs
12. Medieval
13. Bush Boys
14. Here We Go Again
15. I'ma Doomee
16. Knuckle Sandwhich

It has now been repressed for the 1st time, this 2023 pressing is limited to 500
copies on transparent 10" eco-vinyl with unique colour swirls. Zero 7's debut album 'Simple Things' sold over a million copies and was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize and the band as Best Newcomer at the Brit Awards. The album featured singers Sia, Sophie Barker and Mozez. 'When It Falls' followed with the same guest vocalists along with Danish singer Tina Dico. Their third album 'The Garden' was nominated for a Grammy Award with singers Jose Gonzalez and Sia. Two further albums 'Yeah Ghost' and a best of 'Record' completed their time with Atlantic Records.

TRACK LISTING

1. Home (Alternative Mix)
2. Somersault (Danger Mouse Remix Ft. MF DOOM)

With Danger Mouse's "Cheat Codes" already poking for that hip-hop LP of year slot; we're really lucky to receive one of his earliest projects repressed on vinyl once again.

Five rare remixes (or blends if you prefer) from DJ Danger Mouse's murky past, mastering his technique before attempting the "The Grey Album". The two most successful are where Nas meets Portishead's "Sour Times" and Suzanne Vega's trippy "Tom's Diner" joins with that killer Dre beat off Fiddy's "In Da Club", both perfect for club play. The other three mixes see Audio Two battle Air, OutKast take on Funkadelic and Xzibit merge with Radiohead.

Gotta move fast on these units...

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Under-the-counter, nudge and wink business from early Danger Mouse which has been the subject of prohibition for quite some time. Best snaffle these before they get outlawed once more!

TRACK LISTING

Nas Vs. Portishead - It Ain't Hard To Tell
Audio Two Vs. Air - Top Billin
Suzanne Vega Vs. 50 Cent - Tom's Diner
Outkast Vs. Funkadelic - Whole World
Xzibit Vs. Radiohead - Paparazzi

Unbelievable to think that this is Danger Mouse’s first hip-hop album proper since the 2005 collaboration with MF Doom (“DangerDOOM”). Not only that, it’s the first and only time The Roots’ Black Thought has worked with anyone else!

Brian Joseph Burton has, of course, been keeping busy. 2011 and 2019 saw acclaimed collabs with Daniele Lupi and Karen O respectively, whilst production duties with Gnarls Barkley and Gorillaz have seen him achieve platinum success and global adoration.

With Tariq Trotter (Black Thought) we find the producer’s freewheeling and uplifting yet gritty production paired beautifully with the rapper’s relentless, chorus-free lyrical deluge. Visceral boom-bap with myriad samples moulded into an anthemic, underground and intoxicating concoction that fans of old school hip-hop are gonna go nuts for. Black Thought’s razor sharp flow and insightful observations keep you hooked, multiple listens revealing their lyrical genius whilst the plethora of other celebrity guest vocalists also turn out award winning, stellar performances. Danger Mouse’s beat tapestries rival Madlib and Apollo Brown’s – the two comparable beatsmiths that jump to mind when I first heard the record. Yet don’t be thinking that Brian’s ripping anyone’s style – these unforced yet rugged instrumentals seem to burst out of the MPC with their own vivacity. As soon we heard it we knew it’d be one of the best hip-hop albums of the year.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: The long awaited return of Danger Mouse and with The Roots' Black Thought plus a host of other rap celebrities he's only gone and turned out what might possibly be hip-hop album of 2022. Authentic boom-bap, conscious lyrics, well dug samples - this one's got it all for that old skool hip-hop fanatic. Check!

TRACK LISTING

Side 1
1. Sometimes
2. Cheat Codes (Explicit)
3. The Darkest Part (feat. Raekwon And Kid Sister)
4. No Gold Teeth (Explicit)
5. Because (feat. Joey Bada$$, Russ, And Dylan Cartlidge) (Explicit)
6. Belize (feat. MF DOOM) (Explicit)
Side 2
1. Aquamarine (feat. Michael Kiwanuka)
2. Identical Deaths
3. Strangers (feat. A$AP Rocky And Run The Jewels) (Explicit)
4. Close To Famous Explicit
5. Saltwater (feat. Conway The Machine) (Explicit)
6. Violas And Lupitas (Explicit)

Karen O says:  “After making music for the past twenty years and embarking on making this record with Danger Mouse I knew a couple things: one was that the spirit of collaboration between us was going to be a pure one, and two was that the more I live the less is clear to me. When you create from a blurry place you can go places further than you’ve ever been. I think we both were excited to go far out.”

STAFF COMMENTS

Andy says: The voice of the Naughties teams up with the producer to the (cool!) stars and the result is stunning! Karen O has been rather quiet lately. Her lo-fi solo record ‘Crush Songs’ (2014) was preceded by the least interesting Yeah Yeah Yeahs record so far (2013's ‘Mosquito’) so it’s really refreshing to firstly hear her in a new context, and secondly, singing some flipping good pop songs again. The title of this record loosely translates as “luxury first” and yes, it does what it says on the tin! Dangermouse mines a similar sonic seam to his cinematic soundscapes with Daniel Luppi (2011’s ‘Rome’) whilst of course staying true to his downtempo template. But with sweeping strings and beautiful blends of funk, pop, soul and disco, all luxuriously spacey and deliciously swoony, you’ll be in for a nice surprise: the mix with Karen’s distinctive voice really does work. She’s never sounded better.

TRACK LISTING

Lux Prima
Ministry
Turn The Light
Woman
Redeemer
Drown
Leopards Tongue
Reveries
Nox Lumina