News | Jul 22, 2021 03:02 PM EDT

Indie Hip Hop Icon Atmosphere to Return With 'WORD?'

By Mark Smith

Underground hip hop duo Atmosphere confirms that they have a new album, titled "WORD?," set for release on October 8 under Rhymesayers Entertainment.

To celebrate the announcement of the new Atmosphere album, the indie legends dropped the music video for "Woes," offering the first look inside the new project. The duo also released the maxi-single "WORD? Side A," which features four songs from the upcoming album. Together, it features appearances from an all-star cast such as the late MF DOOM, Aesop Rock, Evidence, Lateef the Truthspeaker, Sa-Rock, Nicki Jean, and more.

The "Woes" music video was directed by Roxana Baldovin, who previously worked with international names Maluma, Steve Aoki, Gucci Mane, Doja Cat, Trey Songz, Kehlani, and more. In the new Atmosphere MV, audiences find Slug dressed up as a shark - a figurative fish out of water - wondering about humans facing the problems of interpersonal relationships and labors of love. He neatly wraps his shark's tale with the verse "If you ever had a pulse then you know how it goes / We show up for each other and try to hold each other close / I ain't above it, it's a struggle to grow / You can't love a life without a couple of woes."

Complimenting the visually appealing video, with Slug in costume, is a summary track with reggae elements courtesy of producer and half of the Atmosphere Ant.

"WORD?" will be coming off the heels of the latest Atmosphere album, the acclaimed "The Day Before Halloween," which has been described as an imaginative concept album utilizing distorted synths. With their new release, the hip hop duo steers a bit more toward the boom-bap aesthetic that optimizes Ant's mixing and production to wrap Slug's witty and insightful deliveries. From the onset, "WORD?" shows itself as another step in the ladder of refining their work, advancing as artists while throwing references to their previous works. While they are leading towards more broodingly cinematic themes, they also remain concerned with the human condition.

With the new Atmosphere release, "WORD?" is poised to create both moments of levity and lightheartedness across its tracks, making for a refreshingly new yet familiar experience.