Atacama is a Chilean rock band known for its expansive, atmospheric sound that blends stoner and psychedelic rock with the stark beauty of its namesake desert. Formed in Santiago in 2010, the group has built an international following through relentless touring and critically acclaimed studio albums, culminating in their 2022 album "Duna" charting on the US Billboard Heatseekers chart.
Atacama coalesced in Santiago, Chile, around the core duo of vocalist/guitarist Benjamín Rojas and drummer Felipe Silva. Drawing inspiration from the vast Atacama Desert, their early sound was a heavy, instrumental exploration. Their self-released 2012 EP, "Oasis," caught the attention of the independent South American label Fuzzorama Records, which signed the band and reissued the EP the following year.
The band's breakthrough arrived with their second full-length album, "Vértigo," released in 2018. The album's lead single gained significant traction on streaming platforms and specialty rock radio, leading to a distribution deal with Heavy Psych Sounds for the European market. "Vértigo" spent several weeks on the Doom Charts and is considered a modern staple within the desert rock genre.
Vértigo — This title track from their breakthrough album showcases their signature blend of heavy riffs and hypnotic, reverb-drenched vocals.
Espejismo — A sprawling, eight-minute epic that highlights the band's mastery of dynamic, instrumental build-ups and psychedelic textures.
Duna — The lead single from their 2022 album became a live favorite and received regular rotation on international rock radio shows.
Surcos — An earlier track that established their desert rock credentials, frequently featured on curated stoner rock playlists.
Building on this momentum, Atacama's 2022 album "Duna" marked a significant step forward in production and songwriting complexity. Recorded at Estudio del Sur, the album featured collaborations with notable figures like producer Ricardo Viana and a guest guitar solo from Mario Lalli of the band Fatso Jetson on the track "Calima." This period also saw them perform at major European festivals such as Desertfest Berlin and Rock al Parque in Colombia.
Fans of Atacama's heavy, atmospheric grooves should also explore similar artists from the region. La Hell Gang shares a similar affinity for fuzz-drenched, psychedelic rock from Chile. Vaquero delivers a raw, blues-inflected take on the South American desert rock sound. For a more space-oriented approach, the instrumental work of Siena Root offers a comparable expansive quality, while Monolord provides a slower, doom-influenced counterpart to Atacama's driving rhythms.
Atacama's music is a staple on a wide array of radio formats featured on this website. Their tracks are regularly programmed on specialty stoner and desert rock online streams, university radio stations focusing on heavy music, and international alternative rock FM stations that champion guitar-driven, atmospheric rock.
Listeners can discover the powerful sound of Atacama by tuning into the dedicated rock and alternative radio stations available on onairium.com, where their music is frequently featured in regular rotation alongside other pioneers of the modern rock scene.
