Atakarma's first studio-live CD demonstrates their rawer, edgier sound in comparison to what has been heard on their previous home recorded EPs and albums. This EP features some of the band's most frequently performed songs taken from Answer Back (2/11), Colour Blind (9/11) and their self-titled EP (7/12).

On this live EP, Leo sang and played rhythm guitars, Gideon played rhythm and lead guitars, Elliot pumped the electric bass and Kieran hit the drums. This record was recorded, mixed and mastered by Elliot Roffe with the assistance of band members. It was engineered and produced by Atakarma. The lyrics were written by Leo and the songs were written and arranged by Atakarma.

This was recorded at Gloscol studios and the Leeds College of Music between August 2012 and May 2013.

Art direction by Leo with the assistance of band members. Cover photograph by Lorenzo Levrini. Pop his name into Google. 

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Take It Back (Live)

Lyrics by Leo Garbutt
Music by Atakarma

Lead Vocals, Guitars, 12-String, Piano, Percussion, MIDI programming by Leo Garbutt
Rhythm and Lead Guitars by Gideon Olney
Bass Guitars and Saxophone by Elliot Roffe

Additional performances:
Backing Vocals by Cerys Mather

Mixed and mastered by Leo Garbutt
Engineered and produced by Atakarma

Colour Blind

Slow Escape

The Upper Hand

Secret Dimension

Crisis Apparition

Constant Reassurance

And, I

In Private Hands

Through Keyholes

Lyrics by Leo Garbutt
Music by Atakarma

Lead Vocals, Guitars, 12-String, Piano, Percussion, Drums and MIDI programming by Leo Garbutt
Rhythm and Lead Guitars by Gideon Olney
Bass Guitars and Saxophone by Elliot Roffe

Additional performances:
Backing Vocals by Cerys Mather

Produced, mixed and mastered by Leo Garbutt
Engineered by Atakarma

Take It Back

The Narrow Room album, released 7th September 2010.

Vocals, drums, guitars, effects and electronic instruments performed by Leo Garbutt.
Lead guitar and effects performed by Gideon Olney.
Basses, clarinet and effects performed by Elliot Roffe.

Written, recorded, mixed and mastered by Leo Garbutt.
Produced by Leo Garbutt.
Artwork by Leo Garbutt.

Shallow Holes

Three Strikes

When I can’t see through it, I’m told that it’s trusted. I’m toothless, uncompleted, I’m compelled to reason. Joke’s on you, you’re not credible, it feels alright if you need some time. Because it just descends like I must to be true. I did not have enough impulses - they drain me. As we numb, you tell more, hiding nothing - now losing. I can’t hide what I want: to frame you and to own you. Sometimes I’d criticise that there’s nothing left to give away and it feels like I’m colluding with a stranger and that’s all there is. Sometimes I would escape myself and know that I could not return. Well it’s happening now with you and with this distance that’s all there is. That’s all there is.

Something gets checked and something gets balanced. I stop to remember who’s lost on the way. I forgot that no one else was standing still: I will leave whenever I like.

Checks and Balances

Don’t give a voice to those fateless wonders, let’s consider leaving them behind. Don’t give a face to those loveless strangers and try to block them out of your mind. A mind that wonders like country lanes is spent in these city squares. Letting go of your instructions, so obsolete in this modern freefall. Why don’t I give it away? Where’s the peace in my construction? No you don’t deserve me, well that’s what she said. So I’m counting down with this excuse, in these nothing days I misbehave. 

And all this time we felt so lost. I paid my time you paid the cost. For all those moments we encounter loss: we will know when our paths cross.

Counting Down

Where did you get that confidence from? I’ve been thinking about who I missed out on. Where did you get that confidence from? I couldn’t wait any longer for you. Where did you find your aspirations? I first saw mine in a bottomless ocean. How could I linger with you for so long? I wish you’d regret what you’d rejected. Does my work inspire what I want? If you look hard your answer’s in the fountain. Have I remained a stranger to difference? You’re nothing short of replication. And I thought we’d have outgrown our intimidation. What’s a quiver to them is a smile to me. And I thought we’d have outgrown our atomism. What’s a moment with you when I could be with her? I don’t need to escape the truth, trusting something this artificial. If it’s not the fluid entering my system, it’s you. It’s you.

So I’m going to wait here for you to return to loyalty, I dismiss my convictions. It seems shoots don’t appear where I placed the seeds: they don’t belong to me.

The Seeds

I call on my friends, they know it's the end of all we've been through. Just one more push, fear falls apart when we hit the ground. The paradigm’s changed: I used to know my fears but now I have no idea. I walked so far that night, from I don’t know what. I’d stay if I knew. A grenade in the trenches of our closest friendships: fragmented but not forgotten, we lay a wreath every year. Yes it’s too easy to be cynical, sometimes we couldn’t dare. I wouldn’t blame that side of you - the half you wouldn’t share. 

Nothing lost, nothing gained. I don’t feel as if I’ve changed. Pay some attention to us over time, it’s too easy to play that game. I told myself to be cynical, it doesn’t work. it doesn’t work. Between concrete walls, amongst concrete hearts - you’re a hammer I’m a nail. I assume you tend to fear the worst in me: let me feel your shame. I call to assure - despite all these flaws - everything has changed.

Hammer and Nail

Atakarma is an indie/alternative four-piece from the UK with a memorable mix of Strokes-esque riffs and Clash-like soul. The band is composed of; frontman Leo Garbutt, lead guitarist Gideon Olney; bassist Elliot Roffe and drummer Kieran Toft.

The name "Atakarma" was chosen largely because of Leo's Chilean ancestry: the name originates from the Atacama desert in South America, a region which has inspired many of the band's rhythms and their more occasional ambient leanings.

A large part of what drives Atakarma's appeal is their wide range of influences, from indie groups including Arcade Fire, Bright Eyes and Sigur Rós - to blues acts such as the Allman Brothers Band, from pop rock groups such as Green Day and Blink 182 - to folk based legends Led Zeppelin and Bob Dylan.

Lyrically, Atakarma aspires to deconstruct their listeners' personal struggles and resonate with their ambitions, acknowledged by Stephen Morris for the BBC: "there is something about the lyrics and the momentousness of the music that acts as a release".

Atakarma's unique style is completed by their compelling live performances across the UK.

Visit their Facebook page and join the conversation on Twitter. Their music is available to stream and download for free on BandCamp.

Atakarma

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