When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold

The Minneapolis-based duo and indie rap heroes known as Atmosphere (Slug on the mic, Ant on the beats) is back with their sixth and arguably most daring LP, WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS. As usual, Slug spins compelling verses that range from hopeful and sensitive to aloof and cynical, while Ant elevates his production repertoire to new heights. Working largely in the familiar area of soul, jazz, and blues samples, the beatsmith also incorporates elements of pop-rock ("Dreamer" and "Guarantees") and new wave ("You"). WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS is a challenging effort from one of the most distinctive groups in hip-hop's underground.