Over the years, Minneapolis, MN-based hip-hop act Atmosphere have become part of this site’s lengthy list of mainstay artists across a wildly diverse array of genres and musical styles. Now, you may remember that the renowned and critically applauded Minneapolis-based hip-hop act initially was named Urban Atmosphere and formed as a trio featuring Slug, Spawn D and Ant over 20 years ago and although they’ve been a duo for some time, the act has a long-held reputation for relentless touring, for pushing the boundaries of what hip-hop should like and concern itself with thematically — all while being one of the more commercially successful indie acts. Along with that the duo have been continually refining their sound over the years as you would have heard from “Ear Blaster” an early period single off their long-lost and unreleased Headshots crew compilation, and their more recent releases, such as the Pete Rock and CL Smooth “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)”-channeling “My Best Half,” written and dedicated to Slug’s wife and to hip-hop in general, the swaggering boom bap and G Funk era hip-hop channeling “Salma Hayek,” and “Pure Evil,” a politically charged and frightening portrayal of brutality and evil in authority figures and law enforcement off Fishing Blues, an effort that landed at number 1 on Billboard‘s Curren Rap Albums and Top Internet and Independent Current Albums charts earlier this year.
Fishing Blues’ latest single “A Long Hello” will further cement the duo’s burgeoning reputation for crafting incredibly insightful, mature and soulful hip-hop — and in this case, the single focuses on the difficulties and awkwardness of love and its inevitably ending; life’s letting and impermanent nature; how both love and life are filtered through one’s insecurities; and lastly, how the song, like the bulk of their material is inspired by hard-fought, heartbreaking experience and personal wisdom. Sonically speaking, the song has Slug rhyming over a looped shuffling and bluesy, guitar sample and boom bap beat; but on a certain level, the song manages to evoke the older friend, who spits knowledge to you while over beers at a local bar or while on your stoop.
Adding to a rather successful and busy year, the duo will be releasing a limited edition seven record box set Frida Kahlo vs. Ezra Pound on December 9, 2016, which will feature guest appearances by Aesop Rock, Blueprint, Grieves, Prof and deM atlas. But before that the recently released music video for “A Long Hello” features the duo driving up to a lonely beach before Slug get out the car, gets a cardboard cutout and starts walking to the beach, inching his way to the ocean. The visuals become increasingly cinematic as the camera pans out, emphasizing the lonely heartache within the song.
The band will be embarking on their Freshwater Fly Fisherman tour throughout the early part of 2017 and it has the band touring throughout the Midwest, Southeast and Southwest with deM atlas before an Australian leg with Brother Ali. Check out tour dates below.
FRESHWATER FLY FISHERMEN TOUR DATES
1.13 Sioux Falls, SD – The District
1.14 Iowa City, IA – Blue Moose Tap House
1.15 Lawrence, KS – Granada Theater
1.17 El Paso, TX – Tricky Falls
1.18 San Antonio, TX – Paper Tiger
1.20 Austin, TX – Emo’s
1.21 Dallas, TX – The Bomb Factory
1.22 Houston, TX – House of Blues
1.24 New Orleans, LA – Republic New Orleans
1.26 Orlando, FL – The Beacham Theatre
1.27 Fort Lauderdale, FL – Revolution
1.28 Tampa, FL – The Orpheum
1.30 Charleston, SC – Music Farm
1.31 Atlanta, GA – Center Stage
2.02 Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel
2.03 Charlotte, NC – The Underground Charlotte
2.04 Richmond, VA – The National
2.07 Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall
2.08 Indianapolis, IN – The Vogue
2.09 Columbia, MO – The Blue Note
2.17 Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues
2.19 Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theatre
2.20 Flagstaff, AZ – The Orpheum
2.25 Auckland, New Zealand – Powerstation (w/ Brother Ali) +
2.27 Adelaide, Australia – Governor Hindmarsh Hotel (w/ Brother Ali) +
3.01 Brisbane, Australia – Tivoli (w/ Brother Ali) +
3.02 Sydney, Australia – Metro (w/ Brother Ali) +
3.03 Melbourne, Australia – 170 Russell (w/ Brother Ali) +
3.04 Perth, Australia – Metro City (w/ Brother Ali) +