Maps & Atlases, a Midwestern indie band, blend rock with pastoral folk, pop, and experimental influences akin to Fleet Foxes, Alt-J, and Minus the Bear. Formed in 2004 at Columbia College in Chicago, the band evolved from math rock roots to a pop-infused sound on their fourth album, Lightlessness Is Nothing New, released in 2018 after a hiatus where members explored personal artistic endeavors.
The band released their debut EP, Tree, Swallows, Houses, in 2007 and a second EP, You and Me and the Mountain, in 2008 before signing with Barsuk Records for their first full-length album, Perch Patchwork, in 2010. Subsequent releases included the Living Decorations EP in 2011 and their sophomore album, Beware and Be Grateful, in 2012. After a break and member changes, Maps & Atlases returned in 2018 with Lightlessness Is Nothing New, showcasing a new pop-oriented direction.
