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"Korn Dogz," from DangerDoom's "Occult Hymn"

Hip-hop has had its share of cartoon characters over the years, from the insane (Flava Flav) to the ingenious (Busta Rhymes) and the insanely ingenious (Ol’ Dirty Bastard). By fusing underground sensibilities with the innocent kitsch of 1970s cartoons, the duo called Dangerdoom has taken a new approach to animation-inspired rap, laced with zany humor, an extensive vocabulary and a healthy understanding of camp. With the Occult Hymn EP, rapper MF Doom and producer Danger Mouse continue their fruitful association with Adult Swim, Cartoon Network’s late-night onslaught of oddball animation. Coming on the heels of 2005’s magnificent The Mouse & the Mask, this meager offering (five songs, three of which are remixes) may seem like a rushed attempt to cash in, until you realize it’s available as a free download on adultswim.com.

With this in mind, it would be silly not to check this out. Although it’s lacking in new verses from Doom—one of the most brilliant stream-of-consciousness MCs out there—it’s a showcase for great production. “Korn Dogz” is propelled by an eccentric violin loop, with Danger Mouse playing Bernard Hermann to MF Doom’s Hitchcock. The “Sofa King” remix features an airy, addictive groove from Mouse, reminiscent of his contributions to the last Gorillaz record. Guest remixer Madlib gives “Space Ho’s” a deliciously corny edge; his flute-heavy, pseudo-Latin sample could have been lifted directly from the soundtrack to The Price Is Right.

As an extension of The Mouse & the Mask, Occult Hymn is a thoroughly enjoyable listen. It may feel a little disjointed on its own, but it still represents everything that makes Dangerdoom such a gift to hip-hop fans—a completely fresh, accessible sound that simultaneously takes you back to the days when the Harlem Globetrotters guest starred on Scooby-Doo.