Albums
< Atmosphere
When Life Gives You Lemons...
words by Mandy Drake
Despite record sales of over a million and a previous album that debuted at number 1 on the Billboard Indie Chart, Minneapolis duo Atmosphere are little known over here in the UK. But as the downbeat raps of Slug and sophisticated production tricks of Ant prove on ‘When Life You Gives You Lemons…’ – the couple’s sixth studio album – their collective name should be as household bound as Lupe Fiasco’s on these shores.Once the classic piano of opener ‘Like The Rest Of Us’ ceases ascending and descending as if tracking a mermaid, ‘The Skinny’ arrives with a dirrrty, muffled beat as Atmosphere go pimp on us, nodding to the Dogg Father with rhymes about hos sucking trouser weapons. ‘Dreamer’ is then accompanied by funk bass slides for Slug’s old skool nostalgic tale of a young girl’s life story. And so it continues. Hands can be thrown up to the dissing but partying ‘You’, sat on for the emotional and father-dedicated ‘Yesterday’, and used to play a slow motion blues air guitar for the minimal ‘Guarantees’. Because Atmosphere don’t only draw on influences from all subgenres of hip hop, they do it with ease and style only thought to be projected by Outkast. ‘When Life Gives You Lemons You Paint That Shit Gold’ is an album you need.
9/10 in stores now
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