Atmosphere Celebrates 20 Years of Lucy Ford with First Ever Vinyl Release
Back in 2001, underground hip-hop titans Atmosphere first unveiled Lucy Ford: The Atmosphere EP’s as a compilation of Ford One, Ford Two, and The Lucy EP. The project proved seminal for the group as audiences have clamored for an official vinyl release for years. Now, they will unveil Lucy Ford on vinyl and cassette for the first time Friday May 27th via Rhymesayers Entertainment. The 2xLP vinyl will also be available in two versions. The Standard Edition consists of black double-vinyl in a gatefold jacket, and will be widely available. There will also be a Limited Edition color variant (1,000 units) pressed on 2-color red & brown A/B effect vinyl which will only be available through Atmosphere and Rhymesayers’ online stores, along with limited red-colored cassettes (300 units).
Twenty years later, Lucy Ford’s legacy remains intact. Pitchfork hailed it as “a stark slice of modern Americana,” and FACT went as far as to name it one of “The 100 Best Indie Hip-Hop Records Of All Time,” but Ambrosia For Heads summed it up best as “dark, irreverent, and highly personal.” Tracks like “The Woman With the Tattooed Hands” and “Nothing But Sunshine” showed Slug was equally as talented at poignant storytelling as he was at conveying deeper messages of humanity, while songs like “Don’t Ever Fucking Question That” and “Like Today” stripped away any character facade, allowing listeners to know the rapper on a more intimate level. And while Ant handled the lion’s share of the album’s production, showing his ability to bring the emotional essence out of a beat—from the idyllic to the incensed—Lucy Ford was unique in that there were notable contributions from outside producers as well, including the dub-inspired “Free or Dead” by Jel, and the darkly optimistic “Nothing But Sunshine” by Moodswing9, among others. Since being introduced to streaming platforms, “The Woman With The Tattooed Hands,” “Don’t Ever Fucking Question That,” and “Guns and Cigarettes” have racked up millions of plays as fan favorites.
The release comes on the heels of the group’s latest project WORD?, which landed at #4 Current Rap Albums on Billboard, with highlights such as “Woes” and “Barcade”, just to name a few. Right out of the gate, mxdwn claimed, “Woes’ plays with futuristic and funky sounds to complete its deep yet light hearted message,” while HotNewHipHop stated “it’s all Atmosphere, who remain in fine form both lyrically and behind the boards.” It also received a rave review from Under The Radar Magazine, who wrote the album “successfully proves that Atmosphere still have the chops to pull off a compelling record.”
