Review / 200 Words Or Less
Maps & Atlases
Lightlessness is Nothing New

Barsuk (2018) Brendan Hilliard

Maps & Atlases – Lightlessness is Nothing New cover artwork
Maps & Atlases – Lightlessness is Nothing New — Barsuk, 2018

Chicago natives Maps & Atlases first new release in six years shows them down a member and finding that their tightly constructed guitar and rhythm pieces turning up to something a little brighter and buoyant with synths taking more of a larger role in their sound. First single “Fall Apart” sounds just as slick and rubbery as singer/guitarist Dave Davison’s voice, while “Ringing Bell” has a mechanical riff with a punchy rhythm accompaniment that will sound great coming out of a car stereo. It’s an album where Maps & Atlases just *sounds* the biggest they’ve ever been. They’ve always had the chops. All that extra time produced something really great.

Maps & Atlases – Lightlessness is Nothing New cover artwork
Maps & Atlases – Lightlessness is Nothing New — Barsuk, 2018

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