Atmosphere at Koko

Atmosphere at Koko

21 July, 2008
by: Joe Harrod

To the pleasure domes of Koko for a gig by Atmosphere, possibly the most intelligent hip hop outfit available in the English language, and certainly the most interesting. Rapping about not being a gangsta, smoking hella cigarettes, failing to sleep with groupies and the odd hallucinatory vision brought on, probably, by too much coffee, this is smart hip hop. It's intriguing that such overtly thoughtful lyricism can translate into a traditional block-rocking throw-down. But it can.

Atmosphere are Slug, the rapper, and Ant, his beat producer. They are to be backed on stage by Brother Ali, their Rhymesayers label-mate, and preceded by protégés Kidz in the Hall. It's a testament to the grounded qualities of the band that Brother Ali is greeting people in the foyer, and Ant is mingling in the main room, looking a bit dazed after a 9 hour drive from Edinburgh.

We snag a box seat toward the tail end of Kidz. Although Atmosphere will later thank them profusely for the warm up, they haven't gone as far as letting them turn on the big speakers, so they might be good, but we just can't hear.

Or, frankly, care. It's all about getting a plastic beer in time for the arrival of Brother Ali, acting as warm up man for his own show. At last year's Scala gig he uttered the sappiest rhyme ever, about his new born baby, excusable only on the grounds that, well, he was obviously proud. This time around he's a lot more combative and raw, the consciousness of the act, taking his turn throughout the set to talk about wider issues (including everyone in the crowd downloading their shit) while Slug prefers to riff on his own life.

Ant's beats are more a part of the show than they were a year before, and when he gets a shout from Slug to ask how he is, he launches into 'GodLovesUgly', an old school Atmosphere track that says it all about this act. The set is a rattling mix of new stuff from 'If Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint that Shit Gold' and older tracks like 'Guns n Cigarettes' and 'Back Home To You'. Slug and Ali keep the crowd in the palm of their hands throughout and the very highpoint of the show is 'Like Today', Slug's circular dreamlike tale of everyday life, complete with coffee, cigarettes and morning masturbation.

These guys are honest to the point of being blunt, and offer a refreshingly downbeat take on success and touring, accurately reflecting their own confusion about whether they're any good, and what the point of it all is. But they get a big kick from the crowd who seem to know every line, prompting Slug to lead a little 'Rhymesayers Karaoke', before stopping in his tracks and announcing 'You have given us a great day'.

On their latest album, Slug dictates an open letter chastising himself for spending too much time on the road, and questioning whether he's too old, or has anything to say to the kids these days. He plays the same game here, rinsing out a few Rhymesayers tracks from back in the day 'so I can tell who in here, is the same age as me'.

Why worry, when you're still saying more with hip hop than most of the artists in North America combined, and your stage show is, in fact, amazing and improving? It's not like they have nothing to bring and this show is so much more confident and punchy than their last time in the UK. These guys are getting better and better. As my girl mumbled on the edge of a satisfying sleep, 'that may have been the best gig of my life'.

At least, I think she said 'gig'.

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Joe Harrod