Abandoned Places: Architects of Atmospheric Post-Rock
Abandoned Places is a British instrumental post-rock band known for crafting expansive, cinematic soundscapes. The group, formed in Manchester, achieved notable commercial success with their 2018 album Cartographer, which charted within the Top 40 of the UK Albums Chart and found a dedicated international audience.
Early career
Abandoned Places coalesced in late 2012 from the remnants of several local math-rock and shoegaze projects. Founding members guitarist/producer Leo Vance and drummer Anya Sharma began recording improvised sessions in a repurposed mill space, blending textured guitars with complex rhythmic patterns. Their self-released 2014 debut EP, Static Between Stations, caught the attention of the independent label Fade In Sound, which signed the band the following year.
Breakthrough
The band's breakthrough arrived in 2018 with their sophomore full-length album, Cartographer. Released on Fade In Sound, the record debuted at number 38 on the UK Albums Chart, a significant feat for an instrumental act. Its lead single received extensive placement across streaming platforms and digital radio, driving the album to silver certification in the UK for sales exceeding 60,000 copies.
Key tracks
Cartographer — This title track exemplifies their signature build-and-release dynamic, becoming a staple of their live set.
The Last Broadcast — The lead single from their breakthrough album introduced their sound to a wider alternative rock audience.
Monuments — A collaboration with cellist Peter Gregson, this track showcased their ambition to merge post-rock with classical elements.
Signal Echo — Featured in several major film and television trailers, this song expanded their reach beyond the music industry.
A Thousand Empty Rooms — A fan favorite from their third album, noted for its intricate, interlocking guitar melodies.
Following the success of Cartographer, Abandoned Places embarked on extensive global touring, including performances at major festivals like ArcTanGent and Dunk!festival. Their 2021 album, Echo Location, saw them experiment with modular synthesis and field recordings, while maintaining their core guitar-driven aesthetic. The band has collaborated with notable figures including engineer Matt Bayles, known for his work with Isis, and contributed a remix to a release by the band Caspian.
Fans of Abandoned Places often appreciate the work of similar atmospheric British acts. Mogwai shares their mastery of dramatic, instrumental crescendos. 65daysofstatic parallels their fusion of post-rock with electronic and glitch elements. Godspeed You! Black Emperor offers a similarly epic and politically charged approach to instrumental composition. Explosions In The Sky provides a more melodic and accessible entry point to the genre.
The immersive music of Abandoned Places is a perfect fit for our network's specialty stations. Their tracks regularly feature in the playlists of dedicated post-rock and experimental radio streams, as well as on broader alternative rock radio stations seeking sophisticated instrumental work. Their dynamic albums are ideal for long-form listening on online rock radio stations that champion album-oriented artistry.
Listeners can explore the detailed sonic world of Abandoned Places through the radio stations featured on onairium.com. Tune in to discover their powerful catalog and similar artists within the atmospheric post-rock genre broadcast across our curated network.
