For whatever reason, Midnite has some serious ties with, of all places, New Mexico. Not only have they recorded two albums with that state's Mystic Vision, they've now also released this collaboration with the Lion Tribe quartet. From what I can tell, the group has released one album on its own thus far and is fond of a worldly sound, as evidenced by the list of unique instruments involved: sitar, tabla, dobro resonator guitar, dejembe (African drum), mridungam (whatever that is), and even "locust samples." Produced by Lion Tribe member Juaquin Wilson, it's an atmospheric set full of expansive soundscapes, with nearly half of the tracks running over 6 minutes in length ("Mirrorin" clocking in at over 8 minutes). Vaughn Benjamin's vocals are sharp (in a good way), with just enough of his unique eccentricities to charm without making you scratch your head. His restraint helps make Suns of Atom one of the more accessible Midnite albums in the past few years vocals-wise, but musically, the electronica of "End of Doubt" and "Sanctify" (the latter of which ends up mixing in some sort of Gregorian chants), the funk of "Avionics," the Indian hip-hop-y tablas of "Wesside," and the trippy sitar of "These and Those" make it clear that Lion Tribe isn't playing it safe. (Jah Rubal's lead on "Ganjah Man" makes it evident how evocative Vaughn's vocals are and how much we miss them when they're gone.) As far as overall quality goes, Suns of Atom isn't as consistent an album as we're used to hearing from Midnite, but the overall sound is striking enough to carry you through. Plus, there are several hot tracks for fans to eat up -- namely, "Atom Trees," "Moonlite," and "Temple," an unconventionally up-tempo jaunt that's one of the best ever from the group.