ATLiens

OutKast looked at the idea of a sophomore slump and decided to just avoid that entirely.

There’s an interesting detail that has recently made me think a bit in this album. With the first song on the project “two dope boys in a Cadillac” it reuses the same intro from the previous album southernplayalistic, from the track “d.e.e.p”. but this time the intro takes on a whole different meaning, as this albums much more spacey style makes for this to be the perfect start for this new project, and truly makes you feel like you have entered a whole new world, while still reminding you that this is indeed the same group you heard previously.

OutKast 2nd record ATLiens in its own right is a masterpiece. The duo has found their sound on their seconda album, as Andre and big boi find their way through this album start to branch off and find their own voice, while still being so locked together that the chemistry is still perfect. And with much improved production from organized noise, this album finds OutKast growing their sound and further expanding their songwriting expertise and overall rapping ability.

Andre and big boi now sound like 2 different figures, and both display more growth, not only lyrically on the “ATLiens” and “wheels of steel” but also topically. This album is much more introspective and conscious than southerplayalistic, as the group pens many stories and ideas that will make one sit and think, like on the track “jazzy belle” which even if the message is one I fully don’t agree with, is described in a way that is still captivating and thought provoking. And on the track “elevators (me and you)” where Andre describes how he and a former classmate are both in the same situation financially even with both having different situations, and big bout describing the industry and it not treating them right.

Now for the production. My god is this an improvement and a half. Spacey, but much more soulful and more rooted in the south then the last album. “Jazzy belle” brings great vocals for the hook, “elevators” brings the spacey synths and funky bass, and has much more punchy drums. “Wallin” in the most soulful on the album, with the pitched up soul sample being highly prevalent in the beat, and the title track with its vocal samples and floating like synths. The production is an incredible step up from the previous album, and it really shows how much growth took place in 2 years.

No flaws, album is basically perfect.

ATLiens is a case of the sequel being better than the original, and somehow they have released better than this

Fav: elevators