Described by Rhymesayers as "blessed-to-be-alive-raps,"
Atmosphere's tenth studio album
Whenever continues in the more time-shaped lens of their 2010s run. Having played with the idea of "dad rap" since the baby-fist art of
The Family Sign, the Minnesota duo's later works have found incredibly compelling results within this ethos; tracks like "Arthur's Song," "Virgo," and "Still Be Here" stand confidently among their career's peaks.
Luckily the same can be said for
Whenever. When the album fully embraces its reflective design, it produces some stellar moments: transcendent opener "Bde Maka Ska," euphoric ballad "Lovely," and drifting "The Hands of Time" hang on to each of
Slug's words, while Ant's lush soundscapes give the MC time to digest his compelling states of mind.
Slug's singular style, dressed down and yet firmly poetic, remains at the forefront of the pair's material, producing grounded wisdom in droves. This culminates in closer "The Ceiling," with the rapper reshaping the album's most euphoric and despondent tones into a reflective gem.
Though most of the album's peaks come from
Slug's introspection, there's still plenty of room for fun. The rapper's charismatic side shines as brightly as ever; it's hard not to find a smile on your face after bars like "I'll prolly step on a Lego just to verify/That I'm still alive!" That's to say nothing of Ant's reverberant production, which brings epic, unbridled joy to brighter cuts like "Lovely" and "Bde Maka Ska."
Yet there's a strange contradiction bubbling under the surface. "Romance," a hotpot of proposed affairs and uncomfortable dates, is perhaps the most obvious outlier. When thrown into an album of paternal celebration, middle-age reflection, and self-discovery, the song soon becomes jarring. Even within songs, contradictions simmer. "Postal Lady"'s heart-warming verses on marriage sit uncomfortably next to its bizarre, infidelity-hinting chorus. 2018's inescapable "Trim" manifests here, too; "I just wanna be inside you like your favorite food" smothers "Dearly Beloved," and "I'm just a sucker for f***ers" clouds the otherwise poignant "You're Gonna Go." While these are far from devastating, the failure to fully commit to this introspective side is a continual source of friction, and stops the album from truly feeling cohesive.
Despite these concerns,
Whenever proves a compelling listen: with poetic narratives, unique self-reflection, and consistently impressive soundscapes, the album is an all-around charmer. Bound by Ant's versatile production and
Slug's excellent writing, the duo's tenth set proves that rap is no longer just a young man's game. ~ David Crone