Atmosphere’s latest album »So Many Other Realities Exist Simultaneously« was released in May 2023, and now Slug and Ant are back with a 10-track EP at the end of the year. The album and the EP are indirectly linked, as the idea for the »Talk Talk EP« came to Atmosphere while recording the song of the same name, which is featured on the album. The electro-rap song dates back to the band’s musical socialisation in their Minneapolis youth, influenced by bands such as Egyptian Lover, Kraftwerk and the Ultramagnetic MCs. Fittingly, Slug has invited Ultramagnetic legend Kool Keith to make a guest appearance on the EP, celebrating the confluence of 80s and late 90s rap. In general, the synth-heavy mini-album doesn’t skimp on references, and of course the EP’s title is a nod to British new wave heroes Talk Talk. So it’s nice to see that even after 13 solo albums and dozens of EPs, Slug and Ant still haven’t run out of ideas, and after the title »Emo-Rapper« they can now add »Electro-Rapper« to their CV. When it comes to physical media, Atmosphere are also old-fashioned: there is a limited vinyl version with alternative cover artwork and zoetrope pressing. As the record spins, sequential images are displayed, creating a moving image on the vinyl. How old school is that!?!
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