Burton quickly added, “Don’t even try.”

The nine tracks on “Lux Prima” unspool grandly, from the ominous lullaby “Ministry” to the stomping girl-group squall of “Woman” to the compact psych-funk groove of “Leopard’s Tongue.” The duo will present the album as a “multisensory art installation” in April at the Marciano Art Foundation in Los Angeles. The event, overseen by the creative director Barnaby Clay (Karen O’s husband), will use lighting, projections and other stimuli to creative an immersive experience — the antidote to the kind of glance-listening that dominates pop’s current era of distraction.

Holding people’s attention isn’t easy in 2019. Danger Mouse later shared the advice he gives the young artists on his label, 30th Century Records: “Just have faith that if you’re doing the stuff you want to do, it will be heard at some point.”

Dan Auerbach, the Black Keys singer and guitarist, admires Burton’s ability to pull the best from his collaborators. Burton, who has worked on four albums with the band, was the first outside producer the duo let into their world. “I think we just liked how drum-heavy his stuff was, kind of dusty and funky and always so rhythmic,” Auerbach added. “He just has a sixth sense with melody.”

Despite having worked with some of the most successful artists in music, including Adele and Red Hot Chili Peppers, Burton’s guiding ethos remains heart over trends. “Usually when I work with somebody I tell them, ‘This is probably going to be your least-selling record, and if we make a couple of accidents that work out, it could be your best-selling record,’” he said. “‘But it’s probably not going to be anywhere in between.’”

James Mercer, the Shins leader who teamed with Burton in Broken Bells, said his band was listening to “The Grey Album” backstage in Copenhagen the night Burton showed up unannounced to meet them. “That’s the type of person he is, he’s that brave and gregarious,” Mercer said. “He’s very good at being open to new ideas, so he definitely has stuff he learned from working with U2 and the Chili Peppers.” Mercer wasn’t surprised when Burton joined forces with Karen O, saying they’d listened to Yeah Yeah Yeahs together in the past: “He’s a fan of female singers, and she’s kind of the best.”

Burton’s admiration for Karen O is obvious. “She has a voice I believe,” he said. “My whole thing was making sure that one of the coolest chicks in the world likes what we’re doing.”