A panoramic array of beats, samples and rap interludes leads listeners through the techno-human landscape of the 21st century in Atlas Jenkins’ newest album, ‘The Doomsday Device.’ This revolutionary work by the Worcester hip-hop artist speaks a captivating narrative about what it means to be alive – and importantly, human – in an era where technology and media incessantly challenge our identity. Such a complex task demands exceptional vision and craftsmanship, and Jenkins delivers masterfully.
The album doesn’t follow the linear narrative style commonplace in many music compilations. On the contrary, the work posies on emotional currents that sway the listener, at times gently drawing them into profound contemplation and at others, shaking them up with raw, jarring, and at times humorous moments which echo with human sentiments.
From its opening track, “35C4P3,” the album introduces a critical dialogue on the erosion of human sensibilities using a rather unconventional prop – a sample dialogue from the 1981 film, “My Dinner With Andre.” Interwoven with a sprinkle of notes, the monologue mourns the speculated extinction of ‘human beings with feelings and thoughts,’ replaced with ‘robots walking around, feeling nothing, thinking nothing’, stating that ‘history and memory are being erased.’
However, Jenkins skilfully reframes the pessimistic proposition with his next masterpiece, “Conjuring the Colossus.” This dazzling mechanized composition gives way to tranquil aquatic sounds and birdsong, leading onto the Louie Gonz-produced track, “Mountains.” Here, Jenkins introduces his first vocal track that is not sampled, in which he discusses life’s journey, fatherhood, and the importance of mutual care and support. His voice offers an intimate counterpoint to the movie’s cynicism – if there’s a way forward, it’s through caring for one another.
Jenkins then propels us back into the cosmos, laying out the dichotomy between human yearning and the mechanized evolution of music while exploring the exhilaration of space exploration on tracks like, “Not Far From Here” and “Clavius.” He leverages the foreboding technological melody and eerily contemporary rhythm on tracks like “Face of God”, twisting the lens on traditional hip-hop to offer an analysis of what it means to be a mere human beneath modern societal and technological advances.
Throughout the album, Jenkins’ signature sonic collage technique becomes his paintbrush, delicately blending human narratives and sampled sounds to form a profound, musical mural that echoes his artistic evolution. Even in tracks like “Flute Loop” and “Pocket Buddha,” the music speaks volumes about the transformative power of technology in reshaping human identity.
Reaching the penultimate song, “Lecount Hollow, Pt. 2,” we are drawn back into Andre Gregory’s monologue, caught in the poignant realization that “The closer you come, I think, to another human being, the more completely mysterious and unreachable that person becomes.” It’s a profound reflection of our vast individual complexities, perceptible only when we genuinely engage with one another.
With the final track, “Monolith/H.O.M.E.”, the album presents itself as an inkblot psychoanalysis of the changing realities of the 21st Century. This not-so-subtle 22-minute drift dares the listener to either surrender to the void or distance oneself from it. Jenkins raises the existential question of our place in the universe, not only as a collective group or individually, but as a fragile and intricate species known as humans. It’s a remarkable testament to his artistic evolution and his understanding of the complexities of existence in an ever-emerging technological age.
In ‘The Doomsday Device,’ Jenkins has crafted a transcendent musical journey. Skeptics may see the album as a foreboding prophecy of the future, while others will view it as a profound treatise on the challenges and joys of being human in the digital age. It reflects a humanistic message that, even against nature’s grandeur or the towering colossus of technological advancement, human growth, connectivity, care, and the courage to question are instrumental for our survival. Atlas Jenkins has indeed created an unforgettable sonic journey that musically scratches deep into the essence of humanity.
