Atmosphere – Jestures (2025)
Hip-hop duo Atmosphere’s 14th studio album is an epic piece of work, showcasing each letter of the alphabet. Even the guest appearances feature on a track whose own name begins with its corresponding letter. It is meticulous detail from a duo which has been active for nearly 30 years. The tracks on this album also happen to be in the order in which they were made, giving the listener an insight into the creative process which is at work here.
Atmosphere consists of rapper Slug and DJ/producer Ant and was formed in Minneapolis. They have only recently performed a hometown headline show at The Minnesota State Fair Grandstand. Their sound is comparable to hip-hop artists like De La Soul, The Pharcyde, Aesop Rock & Thirstin Howl III.
One of the main charms of this new release is the short tracks, which don’t outstay their welcome. Most are about three minutes long, and there are many highlights. ‘Grateful’ has a very old-school beat and possibly the best track on display here. “I’m gonna stay creative until I get cremated/ Even then y’all can mix my ashes up in the paint” is a prime example of the clever lyrics found throughout. The duo’s own thoughts behind the track are: “a sense of personal spiritual elevation and transformation. Striving for greatness while staying grounded in gratitude and making amends for past mistakes”.
They call up one of their contemporaries, Dilated People’s Evidence, on ‘Effortless’. It has a smooth beat, and the whole thing coasts along really nicely. Another one of the strongest tracks is ‘Mash’, which has a hypnotic and trippy beat. It has a masterclass in rapping from everyone who graces the track. Other highlights include ‘Westbound’ and ‘Yearning’, which, like most of the album, have a nostalgic sound.
The quality of the lyrics is as important as the beats on this album. They have an authenticity to them. “Man, listen, this is not a criticism/ It’s just an opinion/ It’s like an asshole” from the track ‘Asshole’, and “That’s why I haven’t got a fuck to offer/ But if you want some sarcastic responses I got ya” from ‘Jester’. It shows that Atmosphere haven’t been in the business for this long to suffer fools. Slug speaks of Jestures: “We had a lot of fun making this one, more fun than we probably should’ve had. The main thing on my mind was trying to have fun, put in little easter eggs and inside jokes for my friends. But make songs that were real songs, that were real to me and structure them. But make sure to hide all the fun on the inside”.
There is more than enough on this release to keep the listener intrigued. There is a lovely variety of tracks to suit each mood. One thing that doesn’t compromise is Slug’s exceptional emceeing. Hip-hop is still very much alive; you just have to look for it in the right places. Start with this one here.
Find out more about Atmosphere on their Instagram, Facebook and Spotify.
