Can we take a moment to give the Difference Machine their flowers? Few Atlanta artists have been so active and creatively vibrant for so long. For nearly 15 years the group has been expanding minds with their cosmic brand of psychedelic hip-hop. Along the way they’ve continued to push the boundaries of their craft, garnering acclaim and earning the respect of their peers, both near and far.

Their new LP, Some of Us Never Die, is further evidence of this fact. Featuring 14 exploratory tracks, the record contains some of the group’s finest cuts and collaborations, including guest features from such stargazing luminaries as Shabazz Palaces, Opio from Souls of Mischief, Willie Evans Jr., and Kapwani. It’s one hell of a galactic ride and you would do well to make the flight.

Album highlight “Star Children” finds TDM’s resident cosmonaut Day Tripper trading verses with fellow ATLien Gretzky Da Sumo. Together the duo traverse the outer reaches, reflecting on existence and the nature of time and space. DT leads the way, peppering his bars with astral wisdom while squashing any delusions of grandeur you may be harboring. “Time is nothing more than space laying flat / So it’s easy to feel like you was up on a plateau / But is that so?” he ponders. Gretzky Da Sumo, however, is more blunt in his assessment: “Travel through the cosmos at the speed of light / Your existence is smaller than a grain of rice.”

Shot, edited, and directed by Day Tripper, the video blends campy retro sci-fi imagery with interstellar spiritual symbolism. Mostly, though, it focuses on the two MCs playing chess and dispensing knowledge from above like a pair of intergalactic shaman. In this case, the message is not so much stated as inferred: Wisdom favors the traveler, and the Difference Machine are always up for the journey.

Watch/listen above.

Some of Us Never Die is out now via Full Plate. Do yourself a favor and cop your copy here.

The Difference Machine will perform a DJ set on Wed., July 15 at Stereo at 8 p.m. Admission is free.

More Info
Bandcamp: thedifferencemachine.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @TheDifferenceMachine
Instagram: @thedifferencemachine
SoundCloud: @thedifferencemachine