Atmosphere's Ant Releasing New Album; Unveils Two New Tracks
Ant will soon head out on the road with Atmosphere for The Traveling Forever Tour.
By: Josh Sharpe Oct. 03, 2024
Anthony Davis, AKA Ant, the producer half of the legendary, pioneering hip-hop group Atmosphere, has announced Collection of Sounds: Volume 2, the second installment in his four-volume series of instrumentals.
In addition to his work with Atmosphere, Ant’s production credits also include tracks for Brother Ali, MF DOOM, Murs, Felt, Rav, The Grouch & Eligh, Sage Francis, Dynospectrum and more. The album consists of unreleased material from his vault, offering a new window into his decades-long career and pushing his artistry to the center.
Ant has unveiled two tracks from his latest album. The first, "Damn Koop 2012," features lively instrumentation by G Koop. The playful and funky track is complemented by Ant's debut music video, which brilliantly encapsulates the song's stylish essence. Filmed by ZooDeVille and directed by both Ant and ZooDeVille, the video presents a visually captivating day-in-the-life narrative highlighted by smooth dance moves.
In addition, Ant has also released "Velvet Ish," a polished, laid-back single that contrasts with the high-energy of the lead track.'
Ant’s production is known for its rich, textured soundscapes that blend vintage and soulful elements with deep emotional resonance. The second installment of his instrumental series, Collection of Sounds: Vol. 2, features smooth beats, intricate sampling, and lush, jazzy layers that create an immersive atmosphere. He masterfully incorporates sly riffs and funk-laden grooves, stirring sentimentality and highlighting his ability to craft emotive, engaging music. The result is a sonically complex album where Ant blends funk, soul, classic R&B, and hip-hop influences, evoking a nostalgic sense of bygone eras.
The son of a military family, Ant grew up bouncing between locales: Texas, California, New York, Colorado, even as far away as Germany. While moving every couple of years presented plenty of challenges, it also exposed Ant to a wide array of different people and cultures. It also helped nurture his burgeoning love of music. Ant’s father, only 20 years his senior, was an avid record collector. “He was into funk and jazz and soul music and stuff,” Ant says. “When I’m ten years old, he’s only 30, and rap is out: he was listening to it, but he didn’t know the difference between Grandmaster Flash and Rick James. To him it was the same thing—this is all funk, this is all disco, this is just all music.”
“There was always this weird dream in my head that I could get somewhere,” says Davis. As one half of Atmosphere, the longtime Minneapolis resident has carved out the type of career that aspiring musicians across the world imagine as they cut their teeth in home studios and on small stages. Yet while decades of sold-out tours and critical acclaim might have been, at one time, an abstract notion to the now 53-year-old, he always had a sense that he could spin his ingenuity behind turntables into a living. While the last 30 years serve as proof positive that he was right, his new four-volume collection of instrumental work, Collection of Sounds, illuminates the variety of styles and skills that made that inkling a reality. Order vinyl, cassettes, and exclusive merch at atmospheresucks.com and rhymesayers.com.
TRACKLISTING
- A Fly Sound Collection
- Pain Or
- Changes
- Velvet Ish
- A Sagittarian Wrote It
- Willie Loop
- I Got One
- Don’t Do Me Like That Again
- Side Four Coloring
- Cutting Room Floor Felt Beat No 117
- Size 17 Shirt
- Segue Freak
- Claps, Cuica, Synth Part 1
- Claps, Cuica, Synth Part 2
- Damn Koop 2012
- Just Didn't Fit In 2004
Ant’s skill behind the decks will be on full display this October, heading out with Atmosphere on The Traveling Forever Tour, which includes a performance at Reggae Rise Up in Las Vegas, NV on October 6th. Additionally, Ant will join Brother Ali on The Satisfied Souls Tour in November. For tickets and further details, visit atmospheresucks.com. Full tour dates below.
TOUR DATES
10/02 - Casper, WY @ Ford Wyoming Center -
10/04 - Aspen, CO @ Belly Up Aspen -
10/05 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Union -
10/06 - Las Vegas, NV @ Reggae Rise Up ^
10/08 - Flagstaff, AZ @ Orpheum Theater -
10/09 - El Paso, TX @ 11:11 -
10/11 - Lincoln, NE @ Bourbon Theatre -
10/12 - North Kansas City, MO @ Voodoo Lounge Harrah's KC -
10/13 - Fayetteville, AR @ George's Majestic Lounge -
10/15 - Birmingham, AL @ Saturn -
10/16 - Athens, GA @ Georgia Theatre -
10/18 - Saxapahaw, NC @ Haw River Ballroom -
10/19 - Charleston, SC @ Music Farm -
10/20 - Knoxville, TN @ The Mill & Mine -
10/22 - Norfolk, VA @ The NorVa -
10/23 - Charlottesville, VA @ The Jefferson Theater -
10/25 - Nashville, IN @ Brown County Music Center -
10/26 - Madison, WI @ The Sylvee -
10/27 - Davenport, IA @ Capitol Theatre -
11/11 - Bozman, MT @ The ELM +
11/12 - Missoula, MT @ The Wilma +
11/14 - Seattle, WA @ Neumos +
11/15 - Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom +
11/16 - Bend, OR @ Domino Room +
11/20 - Reno, NV @ The Alpine +
11/21 - Sacramento, CA @ Goldfield Trading Post +
11/22 - Berkeley, CA @ Cornerstone +
11/23 - Santa Cruz, CA The Atrium (Catalyst) +
11/24 - Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room +
11/29 - Santa Ana. CA @ The Observatory +
11/30 - San Diego, CA @ Music Box +
12/01 - Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom +
12/03 - Albuquerque, MN @ Launchpad +
12/05 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Soundwell +
12/06 - Fort. Collins, CO @ Aggie Theatre +
12/07 - Frisco, CO @ 10 Mile Music Hall +
12/08 - Denver, CO @ Cervantes +
12/10 - Omaha, NE @ Reverb Lounge +
12/13 - Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge +
12/14 - Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre +
12/15 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue +
03/16 - St. Petersburg, FL @ Reggae Rise Up ^
^ Festival Performance (Atmosphere)
- The Traveling Forever Tour (Atmosphere with NOFUN! and Reverie)
+ The Satisfied Soul Tour (Brother Ali with Ant)
Photo credit: Dan Monick
Comments
Videos