Written by Ben Province

It’s taken perseverance to get to the new single from Atlas Engine, “Comfort and Calm.”

It’s a fitting title for a tranquil-yet-energetic indie rock track from the Los Angeles-based project, which is led by Nick LaFalce. The act has sonically drawn comparisons to Tame Impala and Grizzly Bear, with nods to the past, noting Beatles and ’80s similarities.  

The singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist told Blood Makes Noise in 2023 that he started Atlas Engine as a solo project, but a full band lineup began to solidify by 2021 while based in Brooklyn. But since the move across the country recently, it’s taken on an identity that’s somewhere between a solo project and a collective. 

“At this point, I see Atlas Engine as an extended musical family, where different people can step in and out depending on the project – whether it’s live shows or recordings. That flexibility keeps everything dynamic and creatively fresh,” LaFalce said in an email. 

A debut album, “When the Compass Resets, There Can Be No Regrets,” was released in 2023. The concept record was inspired by LaFalce struggling with Lyme Disease, which went undiagnosed for a decade. 

His fight against his chronic illness has paid off, as the collective has opened for one of the most notable recent alternative rock groups, Japanese Breakfast.

But Atlas Engine isn’t his only gig.

Nick LaFalce: Since I produce for other artists and compose for film [and] TV full-time, I get tons of opportunities to collaborate with other artists. Atlas is where I can get everything else out.

By having Atlas Engine live as a solo project, I get to make the records sound exactly how I want – I’ll agonize over specific parts, arrangements, tones, the mix, etc. The other side of that is now, when I put together a live band with players I know, love [and] trust. I look forward to the moments where I can release all of that control and have them insert their own instincts and personality into the music. By the time I’m done with a song in the studio, I’m absolutely sick of it, so bringing others in gives new life to the music for me.

Ben Province: What is the inspiration behind “Comfort and Calm”?

NL: Like all the best songs, I thought I was writing “Comfort and Calm” about one thing, a relationship, but it turns out my subconscious was writing it about another, moving to LA from Brooklyn, which is still pretty recent. I loved my time in Brooklyn, but there was something about it that never felt quite like home, even after 12 years. Compare that to when I first started coming out to LA for session work, I instantly felt a sense of, ahem, comfort and calm. It took me a few years to make the eventual realization that I had to move out this way permanently, but it’s been a year and a half, and it still feels good!

BP: I learned about your music after I saw Deep Sea Diver was following you on Instagram, and I wondered if you had a connection to the band.

NL: Love them! We have some mutual friends, so we’ve been internet friends for a bit. We definitely share a lot of the same musical source code, so I instantly connected with the music and [frontwoman Jessica Dobson’s] guitar playing the first time I heard it. We finally got to meet IRL a few weeks ago at their show here, and they were lovely.

BP: What was your favorite memory of playing on the same bill as Japanese Breakfast?

NL: Oh, man! That was back in 2017 – Atlas Engine’s first show ever – my first time ever fronting my own band, and it was a Sofar [Sounds] show at DNA Footwear, so it was also my first time playing in a shoe store. Special for many reasons! I did not know Michelle [Zauner] or how big JB was at the time, so afterwards I remember being like, “Sick set, bro. You should play in my backyard next time we have a show!” My bandmate filled me in later. Offer still stands!

BP: Can you share your best advice for anyone who wants to make music while battling a chronic illness? 

NL: Be kind to yourself. Set goals and timelines that are aspirational but also realistic. Lean into the ebbs and flows and remember that music is therapeutic – unless you’re pushing yourself too hard, then it becomes another thing working against you. 

Interview was conducted by email and has been edited.