As a teenager, Slug (Sean Daley) became entranced with hip-hop, graffiti, and breakdancing, forming the Rhymesayers label and collective (originally known as Headshots) with two high-school friends, Siddiq Ali (Stress) and Derek Turner (Spawn). After some early gigs as Urban Atmosphere -- where Slug DJed behind Spawn's rhyming -- the pair hooked up with producer Ant (Anthony Davis), as well as like-minded locals such as MC Musab, Mr. Gene Poole, and the Abstract Pack, forming an underground hip-hop clique dedicated to freestyling and clever lyricism. In 1997, Atmosphere released their debut album, Overcast!, which received college radio airplay and earned an underground hip-hop following thanks to Slug's deeply personal, poetic musings, as well as Ant's bare-bones -- but inventive -- production.
Atmosphere participated in the supergroup the Dynospectrum (who released a self-titled album on Rhymesayers in 1998) and Slug contributed to another supergroup, Anticon's Deep Puddle Dynamics (whose full-length The Taste of Rain...Why Kneel appeared in 1999). The Headshots collective concluded their series of underground cassettes with a seventh volume in 1999, later reissued as an Atmosphere release called Headshots: Se7en. The group also began a series of limited releases (often sold exclusively on tour) titled Sad Clown Bad Dub, beginning with an extremely scarce 1999 cassette.
A year later, Atmosphere (then down to the duo of Slug and Ant) released the Ford One and Ford Two EPs, followed by the Lucy EP in 2001. Collected as the 2001 full-length Lucy Ford: The Atmosphere EPs, the three EPs were built around the theme of Slug's complicated relationship with his ex-girlfriend, the lost love of his life. As Atmosphere's following increased beyond underground hip-hop circles, they toured consistently, both at home and overseas; while Ant usually didn't accompany the group on the road, Mr. Dibbs of the group 1200 Hobos often joined in behind the turntables while Slug was assisted on the mike by young rappers like the teenaged Eyedea. In June 2002, Atmosphere unleashed God Loves Ugly, an 18-track effort that returned to previous themes ("F*@k You Lucy"), but also contained the group's pop-friendly single "Modern Man's Hustle," which reached the Top 20 of the U.S. rap singles chart.
By this time indie rap superstars, Atmosphere returned with their fourth album, Seven's Travels, in 2003, followed two years later by You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having. Following the record's success, Ant began regularly touring with the group. They continued to put music out during the next couple of years, including the free download Strictly Leakage in late 2007, a near-party album that they followed up with When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold in April 2008. The record featured plenty of live instrumentation and guest background vocal spots from Tom Waits and TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe; it was also their highest-charting album, hitting number five on the Billboard 200. The "double EP" To All My Friends: Blood Makes the Blade Holy appeared in 2010, with the full-length album The Family Sign following in 2011.
In 2014, the group released the album Southsiders, which featured the single "Bitter" and became another Top Ten-charting hit. The following year, Atmosphere celebrated the ten-year anniversary of You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having by reissuing the album as a four-LP set (including instrumental versions of all the album's songs), in addition to The Fun EP, a picture-disc vinyl issue of an EP of You Can't Imagine outtakes that was originally released as a promo CD in 2006. In 2016, they returned with Fishing Blues, an album that featured the single "Ringo" along with guest appearances from MF Doom, Kool Keith, and Aesop Rock. While the set peaked just outside the Top 20 on the Billboard 200, it became their second album to top the U.S. indie chart. Mi Vida Local, an urgent reflection on middle age, appeared in 2018, followed a year later by the full-length Whenever. The Day Before Halloween arrived on that exact date in 2020, with Atmosphere unexpectedly switching to sci-fi/horror-informed themes over spooky, synth-heavy backdrops. Nearly a year later, Ant and Slug swerved back to their signature sound with Word?, which included guests such as Evidence, Aesop Rock, Sa-Roc, and MF Doom.
Biography by Dan LeRoy
There are other artists with the same name:
2) A Polish rock group, established in 1993 in Leszno, Poland, with Marcin Rozynek as a vocalist. In 1994 the group appeared at Mokotowska Jesień Muzyczna, where they were runners-up just behind Myslovitz. Two years later they won competition Marlboro Rock In. In 1997, Atmosphere released their self-titled debut album, Atmosphere, and in 1999 released Europa Naftowa. Atmosphere was awarded the Album debut of the year 1997 by magazine Tylko Rock and was nominated for the award Fryderyk in 1998 in the category Debut of the Year. In 1998, Atmosphere appeared at the National Festival of Polish Song in Opole with song Niewielki Skrawek Ziemi. Disbanded after Marcin Rozynek departure for a solo career. However, Atmosphere regrouped recently with a new line-up and is recording a new album.
3) An obscure one hit wonder Italo-disco group of the early 80’s. The group was produced by Franco & Venise Scopinich, and their one single “Swede’s Scandal” was realased on Superradio Reccords (label owned by Franco & Venise Scopinich).
4) A thrash metal band of the same name from Vietnam who have released two demo's.
Panic Attack
Atmosphere Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A little water to follow it down the tunnel
Gotta lotta walls but the house is hollow
Got a lot of holes, never found the shovel
Panic attack, so what's the plan of attack?
You had to be had. You cut in half. You had to react
You battle with your shadow from front to back
Stack up the stats. Handle the math, and that'll be that
But don't let it get up to the top of them steps love
Instead of playin' with the pieces that got messed up
Get dressed up, we goin' out to catch the best buzz
Self-medicated, spirit on elevated
Help take the self-made self-hate and celebrate it
And I could tell you hated it when you felt naked
But the poison tastes great, wanna know how the hell they made it?
And if the dizzy don't kill you, the city will
Simply for the thrill of wiping up a sticky spill
Little tricky get busy of a fifty bill
So take the little pill straight to your pretty grill
[Chorus]
Here it comes, there it goes again. Panic attack. [x8]
So what you drinking? So what you popping?
So what you eating? So what you dropping?
So what you smoking? So what you sniffing?
So how you coping? So what's the difference?
Contagious, it runs like the paint does
Sedate the sober and over anxious
The pages of pain that make the songs on the playlist
The renegade rain that jumped just to flood the bassment
Look honey everbody needs a help-up buddy
No body's drug-free, the streets would be hella bloody
Do you call yourself a patient of a junky?
The only thing that separates is who takes your money
All smile like we're gonna go buck wild
Order up a shot, prescription filled up now
Pop another (what?) distracted by the rush while
We fight all night about what to name the love child
I'm on that go nuts life that got that gold touch
Fresh fly wild bold what like the cold crush
No luck, don't hold much, just an old flush
Made up of hearts Queen high off the faux-blush
Freak outs, leak out, and bleed out, and speak out
And reroute and seak out the weak crowd
And we doubt, but when I see it keep out
The beast I'll believe for now, it's all "peace, I gotta be out."
[Chorus]
Here it comes, there it goes again. Panic attack. [x8]
[Sound clips of advertisements and quotes over beat to create nervous, panicky feeling]
Atmosphere’s “Panic Attack” depicts the real struggles and emotions that accompany anxiety disorder. The lyrics in the song make reference to dealing with the myriad of symptoms one experience during a panic attack. The song refers to some of the common ways that people tend to cope with stress, including self-medication with alcohol, drugs, and medication. The song is critical of individuals who justify their unhealthy habits by pointing out others who have "bigger" problems than they do.
The song's lyrics reveal the desperation with which someone who is experiencing a panic attack is feeling. The individual seeks a quick fix to their problems, facing tunnel vision that blocks out rational thinking. The medication and street drugs referenced are seen as a way to quiet the anxiety, but the song suggests that it's merely masking a more significant issue.
Line by Line Meaning
Little momma got a little pill to swallow
A woman has a small pill to ease anxiety
A little water to follow it down the tunnel
She drinks water to help swallow the pill
Gotta lotta walls but the house is hollow
She has built up walls but inside she feels empty
Got a lot of holes, never found the shovel
She has issues to fix but does not know where to start
Panic attack, so what's the plan of attack?
She is experiencing a panic attack and needs a plan to handle it
You had to be had. You cut in half. You had to react
Someone betrayed her and she did not know how to respond
You battle with your shadow from front to back
She struggles with her inner demons all the time
Stack up the stats. Handle the math, and that'll be that
She needs to focus on the facts and find a solution
Hold your head up. I know your fed up
She needs to stay positive despite feeling overwhelmed
But don't let it get up to the top of them steps love
She should not let her anxiety escalate to the point of losing control
Instead of playin' with the pieces that got messed up
She should focus on fixing the root cause of her anxiety
Get dressed up, we goin' out to catch the best buzz
She should get ready and go out to have a good time
Self-medicated, spirit on elevated
She is taking drugs to improve her mood
Help take the self-made self-hate and celebrate it
She is punishing herself but should learn to appreciate who she is
And I could tell you hated it when you felt naked
She feels vulnerable and exposed when not under the influence of drugs
But the poison tastes great, wanna know how the hell they made it?
She enjoys the high she gets from drugs but does not know their ingredients
And if the dizzy don't kill you, the city will
While drugs may not harm her, the city's danger might
Simply for the thrill of wiping up a sticky spill
People may harm others just for excitement and notoriety
Little tricky get busy of a fifty bill
People willingly sell drugs for money
So take the little pill straight to your pretty grill
She can take a drug like a pill to feel more attractive
Here it comes, there it goes again. Panic attack. [x8]
She is reminded of her panic attacks and how they come and go frequently
So what you drinking? So what you popping? So what you eating? So what you dropping? So what you smoking? So what you sniffing? So how you coping? So what's the difference?
People use drugs, food and alcohol to cope with their problems and the effects are all the same
Contagious, it runs like the paint does
The culture of substance abuse is contagious and persuasive
Sedate the sober and over anxious
Drugs can help reduce anxiety and calm people who are frightened
The pages of pain that make the songs on the playlist
A lot of music is written about pain and heartbreak
The renegade rain that jumped just to flood the basement
People can act irresponsibly and cause more harm than good, just like a rainstorm flooding a basement
Look honey everbody needs a help-up buddy
It's okay to seek help and support from friends and family
No body's drug-free, the streets would be hella bloody
Drug use is prevalent in society, and without it, there would be more conflict and aggression
Do you call yourself a patient or a junky?
Do you need drugs for medical reasons or have you become addicted?
The only thing that separates is who takes your money
There is not much difference between someone buying drugs for medical reasons or for recreational purposes, the only difference is how much they have to pay
All smile like we're gonna go buck wild
People often put on a happy face when about to indulge in drugs or alcohol
Order up a shot, prescription filled up now
People order a shot of alcohol or a prescription drug to feel better
Pop another (what?) distracted by the rush while
People take more drugs while distracted by the desire for the high
We fight all night about what to name the love child
People argue about trivial things when under the influence
I'm on that go nuts life that got that gold touch
I'm living a life where anything goes and everything seems to work out
Fresh fly wild bold what like the cold crush
I have a flashy, confident attitude like the hip hop group Cold Crush Brothers
No luck, don't hold much, just an old flush
I don't have much luck in life, but I'm still moving forward
Made up of hearts Queen high off the faux-blush
I'm confident and feeling good, but it may not be real and only temporary
Freak outs, leak out, and bleed out, and speak out
People's emotions can become uncontrollable and a mess when under the influence
And reroute and seak out the weak crowd
People may seek out others who are also dependent on drugs
And we doubt, but when I see it keep out
People may wonder if they need or should be taking drugs, but it's best to avoid them altogether
The beast I'll believe for now, it's all "peace, I gotta be out."
I'm going to keep believing in the temporary high caused by drugs, but I need to leave now.
[Sound clips of advertisements and quotes over beat to create nervous, panicky feeling]
The song uses sounds to create a sense of anxiety and unease, similar to the feelings caused by a panic attack.
Lyrics © UPSIDEDOWN HEART MUSIC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
chris heid
An amazing song atmosphere should be way bigger but I am glad that not a lot of people know them it feels more personal love life!
Abraham Blanco
lmao
Cryogenics12
I can relate to this song so much it's not even funny, especially at this point in my life. It's a badass song as it is, but this song found me.
Dan Todd
That intro aged like the finest of wines 😆
Palmer Robertson
God he's def my fav he just does it perfect ya know?
KJ
very underrated song from this group.
Noah Goodridge
Ive known these guys since i was 15 and im 23 now
Niandra
Love that flow at 35 seconds on. Sounds like kool Keith or something
Klos1neMN
I was just thinking about that part because although Slug doesn't really rhyme super complicated that set of verses are pretty hard to get down when you're trying to sing along. One of my favorite songs on an album full of great cuts.
Bernard Hemmingson
so whatchu drinkin'? so whatchu poppin'? so whatchu eatin'? so whatchu droppin'? so whatchu smokin'? so whatchu sniffin'? so how you copin'? SO WHATS THE DIFFERENCE?!?