Born Again is a collaborative studio album by Danger Mouse and Jemini. It was released on Lex Records on 25 August 2023. It is the sequel to Ghetto Pop Life which was released 20 years earlier. Born Again is Jemini's first album to be released since then.
| Born Again | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Danger Mouse and Jemini | ||||
| Released | August 25, 2023 | |||
| Recorded | 2003–2004 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 36:09 | |||
| Label | Lex | |||
| Producer |
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| Danger Mouse and Jemini chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Born Again | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Mojo |   [1] |
| musicOMH |  [2] |
| The Observer | [3] |
| Record Collector | [4] |
| The Scotsman | [5] |
| The Sunday Times | [6] |
| The Times | [7] |
The ten tracks were all produced by Danger Mouse. Jemini is the lead vocalist on every song, there are no featured artists on the album.
Delay
editWriting in Pitchfork, Nina Corcoran chronicled the timescale between the recording and the release of the album:
"Back in 2003, Danger Mouse and Jemini unveiled their debut full-length together, Ghetto Pop Life, to underground fanfare. The two immediately returned to the studio to hash out new material together, and those recording sessions would culminate in Born Again less than a year later. But the LP was indefinitely shelved, making its release nearly 20 years later the first time these songs will be heard."[8]
According to Spin, the reason for the two decades long delay between recording was "never quite explained".[9]
Critical reception
editConsequence named "Brooklyn Bazquiat" their "Single of the Week" and described the track as "scrappy, braggadocios, and a hell of a lot of fun... with a beat full of bells and whistles and Jemini’s unflinching, swagger-heavy flow".[10]
Sheldon Pearce, talking on NPR podcast All Songs Considered, weighed Born Again against Danger Mouse & Jemini's debut album, finding it "a progression from Ghetto Pop Life in almost every way."[11]
Writing in Variety, Todd Gilchrist described the album as "the best hip-hop record from 2003 you never heard" and continued "Jemini’s versatility as a lyricist and Danger Mouse’s sturdy, imaginative production gives Born Again a timeless quality that’s not just worthy of its predecessor but places it among the top tier of similar releases from the last several years."[12]
Jeremy Allen's review for Record Collector comments on the tone of the lyrical content, saying that listeners can hear "...a reticence and a sense of regret that creeps into the lyrics as Jemini anticipates a lengthy stretch for narcotics misdemeanours... tinged with a sense of sadness for all that wasted time."[4]
Track listing
editAll lyrics are written by Ain Soph Aur El
| No. | Title | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "All I" |
| 3:22 |
| 2. | "Locked Up" |
| 3:54 |
| 3. | "Me" | Burton | 4:04 |
| 4. | "Knuckle Sandwich II" |
| 1:27 |
| 5. | "Born Again" |
| 3:44 |
| 6. | "Brooklyn Bazquiat" | Burton | 3:50 |
| 7. | "Walk The Walk" |
| 4:10 |
| 8. | "Where You From" | Burton | 3:59 |
| 9. | "Dear Poppa" | 3:27 | |
| 10. | "World Music" | Burton | 4:07 |
Personnel
edit- Brian Burton – production, engineering
- Ain Soph Aur El – production
- Kennie Takahasi – mixing, engineering
- Joe LaPorta – mastering
References
edit- ^ Cowan, Andy (November 2023). "Danger Mouse & Jemini Born Again". Mojo: 103.
- ^ Devlin, Ben (August 25, 2023). "Danger Mouse & Jemini The Gifted One – Born Again". musicOMH. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
- ^ Empire, Kitty (August 27, 2023). "Danger Mouse & Jemini The Gifted One – Born Again". The Observer. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
- ^ a b Allen, Jeremy (August 27, 2023). "Danger Mouse & Jemini Born Again". Record Collector (October 2023): 71.
- ^ Shepherd, Fiona (August 24, 2023). "Album reviews: Alice Cooper PIL Danger Mouse & Jemini Rab Noakes & Brooks Williams". The Scotsman. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
- ^ Cairns, Dan (August 27, 2023). "Danger Mouse & Jemini Born Again". Record Collector: 18.
- ^ "Danger Mouse & Jemini Born Again Lex". The Times. August 25, 2023. p. 71. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
- ^ Corcoran, Nina (August 3, 2023). "Danger Mouse and Jemini Finally Releasing 2004 Album Born Again, Share Song: Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
- ^ "Danger Mouse, Jemini To Finally Release Born Again". Spin. August 3, 2023. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
- ^ Krueger, Jonah (August 4, 2023). "Song of the Week: Danger Mouse and Jemini Bring it Back to 2004 on "Brooklyn Basquiat"". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
- ^ Pearce, Sheldon (August 25, 2023). "New Music Friday: The best releases out on Aug. 25". NPR. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
- ^ Gilchrist, Todd (August 25, 2023). "Danger Mouse & Jemini's 'Born Again' Feels Like the Best Hip-Hop Record From 2003 You Never Heard: Album Review". Variety. Retrieved September 7, 2023.