Maps & Atlases

During their time with Barsuk Records, Chicago's Maps & Atlases expanded their intricate, genre-blurring sound across three full-length albums. Their Barsuk debut, Perch Patchwork, transformed the band's knotty guitar tapping and math-rock roots into something brighter and more expansive, layering synth textures and buoyant melodies around Dave Davison's distinctive vocals. They followed with Beware and Be Grateful, a warm, rhythmically adventurous record that leaned into colorful arrangements while retaining the band's technical spark. Later, Lightlessness Is Nothing New found the group exploring a moodier, more reflective palette — balancing their signature complexity with introspective songwriting and atmospheric production. Together, these albums capture a band continually reshaping its sound while remaining rooted in the inventive spirit that made Maps & Atlases such a distinctive voice.