Home > New York Music > CD Review > Atmosphere, 'When Life Gives You Lemons...'

Backstory: Straight outta the Twin Cities, Atmosphere has been dropping credible indie-hop since 1993. Smartass poets to the core, rapper Slug (Sean Daley) and producer Ant (Anthony Davis) are artists as well as moguls, the brains behind the acclaimed Rhymesayers label. Between a slew of full-lengths, EPs, compilations and collaborations, Atmosphere has made its name on stark, cerebral productions with a sense of humor.

Why you should care: Atmosphere excels in stripped-down narratives that can nevertheless move the club. Davis and Daley have proven their dexterity on past efforts like "God Loves Ugly" and "You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having," but on “Lemons,” from the street-smart storytelling of the bouncing "Dreamer" to the dirty mind and bass of "The Skinny," they've settled into a mature groove that's as skillful as it is efficient.

Verdict: From the warped, electric rhythm of the junkie-scolding "Shoulda Known" to the lounge piano and glockenspiel of "Like the Rest of Us," Atmosphere's latest is the perfect soundtrack for a stream-of-consciousness trip through drugs, love and…kids. "Like the Rest of Us" and the poignant closer "In Her Music Box" are revealing looks at how divorce, bitterness and domestic strife can erase childhood innocence in a hurry.

X-Factor: Slug teamed up with indie-hopper Murs to create the Rhymesayers supergroup Felt, who in turn released tribute albums to both Lisa Bonet and Christina Ricci. Last we checked, their musical advances have still gone unrequited.