Atlas Rivers find escape and euphoria on new single 'That Better Place'

Manchester trio Atlas Rivers continue their steady climb with 'That Better Place', a track that captures both the swagger of 90s indie-rock and the reflective spirit of a band learning to pause amid the chaos. Where their previous singles carved out a space of urgency and grit, this release feels like a reminder to stop chasing illusions and instead savour the present moment.

Musically, the song straddles two moods: verses laced with a casual coolness that edges on defiance, and choruses that open up into soaring, arms-aloft release. The interplay between the lead and backing vocals gives the track a layered emotional weight, balancing grit with a sense of tenderness. It’s the kind of chorus built for festival fields and one that sticks long after the last note fades.

The band’s unusual working dynamic of writing and recording across continents before convening for intense bursts of creativity seems into feed the track’s energy. There’s a restlessness in the verses that speaks to distance and grind, but it’s quickly lifted by a chorus that feels like sun breaking through clouds.

'That Better Place' closes the first chapter of Atlas Rivers with conviction. It’s a song that feels born for late-summer playlists, festival singalongs, and radio rotations alike. If this is how the trio mark the end of one phase, the next promises even bigger horizons.