Atmosphere - Hear Hear (feat. Bat Flower)

Created by Atmosphere.

Produced by Ant.

Written and performed by Slug and Bat Flower.

Includes elements of “Heaven Grand” by Bat Flower.

Talk Talk EP by Atmosphere

 

The title of the most recent Atmosphere album, May 2023’s So Many Other Realities Exist Simultaneously, evokes the multiversal storytelling that’s recently vaulted into the mainstream consciousness. With their latest effort, the irrepressible Talk Talk EP, the Minneapolis legends dart across threads of space-time to grab hold of the one where Slug and Ant became titans of the electro-rap that was foundational to their youths. By evoking acts like Kraftwerk and Egyptian Lover, Atmosphere makes visions of the future from four decades ago seem new once again, the relentless forward churn of technological optimism reimagined as an endless loop with irresistible drums.

The genesis of the Talk Talk EP was the session for a song of the same name that appeared on So Many Other Realities Exist Simultaneously. A collaboration with Lifter Puller alum Bat Flower, the song “Talk Talk” exists alongside electro classics in an uncanny valley that’s been warped into a sweaty nightclub, at once vaguely alien and deeply human. Enamored with the song’s outcome, Slug and Ant returned for a longer exploration of the sound, to mesmeric results. The pulsing “Rotary Telephone,” where the TV antennas seem tuned to a world just slightly askew from ours, thrives on the tension between Slug’s careening vocals and the song’s taught structure—form matched perfectly with content. And on “Hear Hear,” the struggle to make human connections is revealed as a beautiful one.

For all its well-documented roots in disco and R&B, rap’s connection to the electronic music of the 1970s and ‘80s is a core part of its DNA. The Talk Talk EP is one of the clearest articulations of this truth to emerge in many years, a testament to the communal power of programmed sound. For proof, look no further than “Traveling Forever,” the haunting missive that closes out the record. Images flash: of police knees on necks, of prying camera phones, another empty hotel room indistinguishable from the last. “I never got to learn how to dance for you,” Slug raps, pointedly. “I don’t know whether or not that’s an attribute.” A chill runs down your spine but the skull at its top keeps nodding. 

Atmosphere - Wetter

Immerse yourself in the atmospheric vibes created by Atmosphere. Shot and edited by the talented ZooDeVille, this video is a masterpiece co-directed by Slug.

Atmosphere - WORD?

Atmosphere from Minneapolis, Minnesota releases the brand new album "WORD?".

 

Atmosphere - Pressed (feat. Anwar HighSign, BlackLiq, Sa-Roc, Haphduzn & Lateef the Truthspeaker)

Atmosphere shows the visual to the track "Pressed" featuring Anwar HighSign, BlackLiq, Sa-Roc, Haphduzn and Lateef the Truthspeaker.

 

Atmosphere - Clocked

Adding another dimension to their latest chapter, underground hip-hop titans Atmosphere present a new maxi-single entitled “WORD? Side B” today via Rhymesayers Entertainment. The release boasts three new tracks, including “Strung” [feat. Musab], “Sleepless” [feat. Nino Bless], and the single “Clocked.” They also dropped a cinematic music video for the latter.

On “Clocked,” producer Ant’s euphonic thrum waxes and wanes as Slug’s instantly recognizable flow captivates right from the intro, “Once upon a time, there was a young boy…” Between the razor-sharp snares, the warm fleshy basslines, and the resonant melody, fans will notice strong hints of Atmosphere’s nascent years within this cautionary tale about time.

In the visual, produced and directed by the team at 1Light Films, Slug appears to run a carwash, donning coveralls complete with the name patch, “Sean.” After waving an SUV into the tunnel, Slug delivers a foreboding performance from outside, while the wash begins to uncover an ominous tale of its own.

"WORD? Side B" paves the way for the group’s anxiously awaited new album, WORD?, out October 8 and promising an all-star cast of guests such as the late MF DOOM, Evidence, Aesop Rock, Sa-Roc, Lateef the Truthspeaker, Nikki Jean and more.

Atmosphere first set the stage for the album with the “WORD? Side A” maxi-single. Within a month, these four tracks have already eclipsed half-a-million streams and counting. The lead single “Woes” has already racked up 255K+ Spotify streams and 165K+ YouTube views on the fan favorite music video. Right out of the gate, mxdwn claimed, “‘Woes’ plays with futuristic and funky sounds to complete its deep yet light hearted message.” Meanwhile, HotNewHipHop put it best, saying “it’s all Atmosphere, who remain in fine form both lyrically and behind the boards.”


Get ready for WORD?

Following their last release, The Day Before Halloween—an imaginative, distorted-synth-driven concept album—Atmosphere’s refreshing new project veers toward their signature sound. Further highlighting producer Ant’s undeniable talents, WORD? leans into the classic boom-bap aesthetic, bringing a unique energy out of Slug’s wisdom, wit and delivery. From onset, WORD? proves to be as much of an exercise in refining and advancing their craft as it is a harkening to earlier work. That is, while Atmosphere’s releases have grown more broodingly cinematic, and increasingly concerned with the human condition and mortality, WORD? manages to reintroduce moments of levity and lightheartedness throughout, an approach seldom heard on their albums of late.

From album opener “Fleetwood,” with its razor-sharp snares and warm fleshy bassline, to the resonant melody of “Clocked”, there are strong hints of Atmosphere’s nascent years within the sound. Meanwhile, songs like “Woes”, “Strung” and “Vanish” cheerfully make light of daily hardships, but they’re more likely to be remembered for making listeners want to bob their heads and sing along. With Slug and Ant directing the course, the album plays like a joyride through a range of experiences and emotions, with an extensive cast of special guests hopping in and out along the way, including Evidence, Muja Messiah, Musab, Nino Bless, Nikki Jean, Anwar HighSign, BlackLiq, Sa-Roc, Haphduzn, Lateef the Truthspeaker, Aesop Rock, and the late MF DOOM. The result is a project that feels like it came from the era or, perhaps more fittingly, the mindset that created albums like God Loves Ugly, Seven’s Travels, or the popular Sad Clown series, while sounding as polished and perfected as more recent albums like Mi Vida Local and Whenever.

Ultimately, WORD? pairs the breadth of Atmosphere’s talents with the beauty of their growth, all while showing they still have a lot of fun in the process and don’t mind letting the listener in on the fun as well.

 

Atmosphere - Crumbs (feat. Evidence & Muja Messiah) [Official Audio]

 

New single by Atmosphere from the EP "WORD? - Side A" Crumbs With Muja Messiah & Evidence

Atmosphere - Woes

Atmosphere from Minneapolis, Minnesota announces the upcoming album "WORD?" with the visual "Woes".

 

Felt (Atmosphere & Murs) - Heavy D Prod. by Collie Buddz

Felt (Atmosphere & Murs) bring the Collie Buddz produced track "Heavy D".

 

Atmosphere - The Day Before Hallowee

Atmosphere and the release of "The Day Before Halloween" is now here.... definitely in another lane for Slug.

Atmosphere - The Day Before Halloween

 
Atmosphere drops the first solo project for 2020 after his efforts with Murs for FELT 4 earlier this year. The Day Before Halloween fittingly sees its release set for October 30th & if the leading single "Blotter Acid Reflux Syndrome" is anything to go by then we can expect a more menacing soundscape from Slug & Ant then what we find in previous releases.