Rating: 8/10

Atmosphere has dropped one official EP per season since last fall. The finale of such a year comes with an actual LP – “When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That S— Gold” – a heartfelt work that channels the human struggle into words anyone can understand.

As alternative as the group is with its sound, Atmosphere has always been down-to-earth. As in all of its previous releases, Slug uses the power of narrative rap to keep relevant with the theme indicated in the album’s title.

Of course, the album is not without its signature “Atmospheric” style of moping over failed relationships and bitter break-ups – something that certainly gets old and depressing after a while. Still, when the focus is not on the infinite struggle between men and women, the stories Slug tells are done with ease and appreciation.

One of the most compelling tracks, “Yesterday,” is an inspiring, piano-laced ode to a lost loved one who we first believe may be a significant other, but as Slug goes on describing his feelings for the person, it becomes apparent that he may actually speaking of someone else, making the track much more charming.

As expected, Ant drops nothing but gems, giving us a formidable range of instrumentals that span from gospel-like hymns such as “Puppets” to sounds such as the synth-heavy, West-coast inspired “Shoulda Known,” in which Slug regrets pursuing a woman that he should have left alone. His delivery is paced and relaxed, making him sound like Snoop Dogg.

The epitome of the album can be found in “Dreamer,” the story of a young girl struggling with the ills of everyday life, still managing to keep her head up and hope for a brighter future, despite all the trials and tribulations that seem to hold her back. The chorus goes as follows:

“But she still dreams after she woke / Tight hold on that hope / Sometimes it can seem so cold / Do what you gotta do to cope.” Slug is using his position as an emcee to carry out the task that rapping was originally meant for: providing a voice for the voiceless. Many individuals can relate to the content and the situation presented in the song, but how many of them have a medium to actually tell their stories and express their feelings?

As the song progresses, the story seems to get more and more tragic. The young woman becomes a single mother working to support herself and her child. The child’s father returns, hoping to aid her, but becomes just another liability and an extra mouth to feed. In the conclusion, Ant vents about what it’s like to be alone in the world with no help and how that stirs animosity. “If it makes it hurt less to curse and fight / Go ahead and hate the world girl, you’ve earned the right.”

Atmosphere has always been a mature act, so this particular album isn’t a giant leap forward or even anything particularly new. But it does what it intends to do and it does it well.

No lemonade here.