Slug and Ant aren’t the type to back away from innovation with their music. As the two members of the Minneapolis hip-hop duo Atmosphere, their unique style has launched them to the pinnacle of indie rap. Slug, the idiosyncratic emcee of Atmosphere, unleashes personal narratives at breakneck pace, while Ant, hip-hop’s most criminally underrated producer, creates consistently beautiful soundscapes that set the tone for each Atmosphere track and still mesh perfectly with each of Slug’s raps. Their newest album, When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold, delivers the same innovative sound that Atmosphere fans have grown to love — not to mention one of the best album titles in years.
The album’s two lead singles, “Shoulda Known” and “Guarantees,” differ drastically and display Atmosphere’s musical versatility. The former track is dominated by an impressive, winding bass line as Slug laments a regrettable sexual encounter. The latter is one of the most original Atmosphere songs in their substantial repertoire and is driven solely by a continuous electric guitar loop. Slug manages to hold his own and is one of the few rappers with the rhythmic savvy and storytelling prowess to sound so natural on such a minimalist track.
Slug has always had a few favorite topics to rap about — primarily women, alcohol and drugs. This is no different on Lemons. What makes Slug a unique lyricist is his inventiveness when approaching every song. On “The Skinny,” he makes a surprisingly well-reasoned comparison between cocaine and the life of a pimp. Slug also occasionally digresses from his usual subjects on other songs, usually with magnificent results. “Yesterday” is an emotional track on which Slug reminisces about his late father. “In Her Music Box” appears to be a semi-autobiographical tale about Slug and his relationship with his daughter. But we may never know for certain, as Slug keeps the details of his personal life under lock and key.
As for the production on Lemons, Ant is as close to flawless as he has ever been. He makes the beats other producers wish they could. Still, the production on this album is less sample-oriented than on previous works. Most songs on the album feature actual musicians, allowing Ant to tweak any detail of each instrumental until it’s exactly right. But the beats on Lemons are also very diverse, changing the tone from one song to the next. From the ominous, echoing piano on “Puppets” to the funky groove of “You” to the manic nature of “Can’t Break,” Ant expresses complete mastery over every aspect of every track.
For the customers who still purchase the hard copy of albums, Lemons is a sweet deal. There is a deluxe version of the record that comes complete with a short children’s novel written by Slug and Ant as well as a DVD from one of Atmosphere’s recent live shows in Minneapolis.
This album is not perfect, but it comes awfully close. Still, Lemons is their most sonically ambitious release yet and provides for a spectacular musical experience.
4 1/2 stars out of 5
