With the legends of the hip-hop renaissance that have visited Brighton over the past year, there has been an abundance of showmanship and overpowering stage presence; a product of ego and choreography. Sean ‘Slug’ Daley, the front man to Atmosphere, stood proud and showed The Haunt a refreshingly humble and honest glimpse of his version of life.

 

A lot of hip-hop duos are weighted understandably towards the rapper, however it was immediately obvious that Atmosphere thrives on the symbiotic relationship between rapper Sean ‘Slug’ Daley and DJ Anthony ‘Ant’ Davis. The chilling minor chords and deft placement of baselines create a symphony that complements the introspective and strikingly prophetic lyricism Slug is notorious for.

 

The powerful piano chords of ‘Puppets’ reverberated through the building as Slug opens up about the universally shared fear of not fulfilling potential, with a story of the anticlimactic meeting of a childhood idol. The relatable windows into his life only gives a fraction of what atmosphere has to bring. The intensity and suspense carried in the hauntingly powerful beats proved to be far more authoritative than any entourage, hype man or routine, as the eclectic Thursday night crowd stood mesmerized by this unorthodox orator.

 

One of my favorite tracks ‘Kanye West’ from the most recently released Southsiders challenges the blind love and passion that makes the unquestioning sacrifice; aptly named after the man who has risen to his position showing little care for those in the way of his dream. This is what makes Atmosphere so good. Whether it was for that heavy, penetrating beat, the blind love for Yeezy or the deeper meaning behind all of it – the crowd went crazy for it.

 

Atmosphere shrugs off the gangster stereotype of hip-hop by confronting everyday issues, whilst maintaining a unique realness with lyrics commonly perceived as bitter and sexist for their face value. The exemplification of this being ‘Fuck You Lucy’ from the album God Loves Ugly. Performed with a sea of middle fingers spanning The Haunt as the mid-western introvert, Slug, expressed his need for validation, escapism and addiction using his ex-girlfriend as a metaphor.

 

This group have named themselves adequately. Whether it was, darkness, intrigue or sheer joy, The Haunt really was filled with Atmosphere I was expecting an aggressive, electric show presenting the culmination and refinement of years of hard work from the pair. Instead I was humbled and taught a lesson in life, for which I will always be grateful and always remember.

Elliot Wright