Atmosphere – So Many Other Realities Exist Simultaneously | Album Review
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Rhymesayers
Long before “emo rap” was trending on SoundCloud and blaring from fentanyl dealers’ iPhones, there was Atmosphere. The Minneapolis hip-hop duo comprised of lyricist/rapper Sean “Slug” Daley and producer Anthony “Ant” Davis have been celebrated for their emotionally vulnerable albums like 2002’s God Loves Ugly and 2008’s When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold. In those years, it was called “backpack rap” — indie rappers with a turned-up nose at the mainstream, money-and-women music on the radio. These were the guys focused on introspection and self-reflection, big ideas and small bank accounts. Many of the artists from the Definitive Jux and Rhymesayers label rosters spearheaded the subgenre, like the lexiconically encyclopedic Aesop Rock and the politically charged Brother Ali.
Atmosphere wrote a lot about heartbreak and angst, notably on classic tracks like “Fuck You Lucy” or “Trying To Find A Balance.” Slug’s mission to pull at heartstrings and brain stems can come off as forward-thinking or totally corny, depending on how much weight you’re willing to give his mantras. Take, for example, “Bigger Pictures,” the second single from their latest album, the galaxy-brained mouthful So Many Other Realities Exist Simultaneously. On that song, Slug takes us chronologically through his life at the ages of 1, 11, 21, 31, 41, and 51, which he’ll turn this September. In his younger years, he was “just the first son to carry the burden. I was barely a person” and “an extension of environment and reinforced messages.” As an adult, “learning how to deconstruct my puzzle” and “following my design, trying to find a little solace in how the stars aligned.” I could see how someone may find those excerpts trying too hard to be meaningful or “fake deep.” Especially in the song’s final moments, where he repeats “on and on and on and on” until his voice breaks and strains. Maybe a bit melodramatic for the half-centenarian, but I personally love how much feeling he throws into the entire piece.
The previous few Atmosphere albums were released in 2019, 2020, and 2021. With things feeling fairly back to normal now, May 2023 could seem a little late for a group to release music reflecting on the mental toil of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lead single and album opener “Okay” references it directly: “I need to believe in the simulation that we’re living in, spent the whole stimulus check on some stimulants.” But with how taxed so many of us were during that time, and likely still are now, it’s not unwarranted. And after listening to this album as much as I have in preparation for this review, I think it may have actually landed at the perfect time.
So Many Other Realities… runs through 20 songs in just over an hour, but it feels like a breezy and cohesive listen. A handful of tracks are under two minutes, like the off-kilter “Sterling,” which seems to be about Slug discovering his love of music as an escape from real life. “When the preachers and pastors speak about the rapture, I think about eating the Stratocasters.” There’s also “After Tears,” featuring Atmosphere’s labelmate and previous tour support Sa-Roc. She leads the track without any Slug vocals at all, rapping poignantly about the end of a bad relationship. Even giving a nod to the group in the closing lyrics, “So maybe I need space so I can face that which I fear, that me without you might be a vast improvement in my atmosphere. So choose your fate.”
A handful of other features are also contributors close to the Atmosphere family. Shepard Albertson delivers the chorus on “Eventide,” a general lamenting track that fits right into the Atmosphere catalog. Albertson was previously featured on “Crimson Skies” by Felt, the collaboration between Atmosphere and California rapper Murs. “Talk Talk” is a wild dance-inspired cut, potentially giving props to the ‘80s synthpop-turned-‘90s post-rock band Talk Talk. The bulk of the track is carried by Bat Flower, aka fellow Minneapolis musician Dan Monick. Monick played drums for Lifter Puller, the band Craig Finn and Tad Kubler were in together before The Hold Steady, and the namesake of “Lifter Puller” from Atmosphere’s 2003 album Seven’s Travels. Lastly, British neo-soul singer Murkage Dave provides the emotional hook on “Still Life,” one of the post-pandemic anthems on the album. Slug raps, “Poison in the well, airborne contagions, government surveillance, and home invasions. We’ve been predicting Armageddon ever since the beginning.” To no fault of Atmosphere’s, I’m a bit burnt out on the topic of “still life” in music, but due to the nature of the theme here, I think it’s pulled off very well by Atmosphere and Murkage Dave alike. This is the first time the two have crossed paths, with hopefully chances to do it again moving forward.
Ant’s production throughout the LP also shines with a mix of traditional-sounding, jazz- and soul-sampled instrumentals to totally off-the-wall electronic-driven beats that remind me of some of Paul White’s music on Danny Brown’s recent albums. “In My Head” is a highlight, with the relatively sparse production underneath echoing synths and unconventional piano stabs. It complements Slug’s distorted vocals perfectly, and his lyrics about anxiety and paranoia. Or the 6-minute penultimate track “Sculpting With Fire,” led by a baseline nearly reminiscent of the underground theme from Super Mario Bros. There are plenty of odd, space-age sound effects riddled throughout while Slug composes the final, core farewell. “When I go, I hope I go from supernatural causes. But man, I'm exhausted, it's all about how you handle your losses and whether or not you recognize that you're toxic. You're a product of putting the prophecy below the profit.” The track’s last lyric gives some context to the album title: “Let's bring it back to the original topic. It's a graham cracker, marshmallow, and some chocolate.” Those would be the ingredients to s’mores, and with a word attached to each letter, you get So Many Other Realities Exist Simultaneously. In an interview with British rap magazine UKHH, Slug says, “I named it that because I wanted to see people try and say it,” but doesn’t specifically mention why “s’mores” was his snackronym of choice.
The very end of the album is the “Okay” reprise, which I could have done with or without. I think “Sculpting With Fire” is such a strong finish to the world Atmosphere created, but reprising the opener does cleanse the palette a bit and drives home the idea of perseverance even through unpredictability. With that said, the subpar moments on So Many Other Realities are microscopic compared to how exceptional the great bulk of it is. Even closing out on another track’s coda doesn’t tarnish the hour.
Atmosphere is one of the most prolific hip-hop artists working these days (not including multi-dozen mixtape rappers), averaging about an album every two years since 1997. For any band, no matter how great, it’s pretty rare that every single release is gonna be a knockout at that rate. While I haven’t loved or listened to every single album since When Life Gives You Lemons, it’s a true accomplishment that they’re able to put out a record this captivating with this much going on in it so late in their career. And if I’ve observed Atmosphere for long enough, I don’t think we’ll have to wait too long for the next one. At least not in this reality.
Logan Archer Mounts once almost got kicked out of Warped Tour for doing the Disturbed scream during a band’s acoustic set. He currently lives in Rolling Meadows, IL, but tells everyone he lives in Palatine.
