Your New Favorite Atlanta Band is abandcalledlove.

abandcalledlove is Ryan Love (right) and Ian Joshua Riley (left). — *abandcalledlove* is Ryan Love (right) and Ian Joshua Riley (left).

About a month ago, my friend Ian messaged me and asked if I could give his new project some feedback. He sent me a song called Colors Bloom.

I rarely get excited for new music. After attending well over 1,000 concerts, and spending approximately 1/4th of my entire life listening to music, it’s rare that something really catches my ear.

Colors Bloom immediately got me.

How I Came to Find abandcalledlove.

Ian Joshua Riley has been a staple of the local Atlanta scene since I got here. When I moved to Atlanta from New York two years ago, Ian immediately lent me his time, energy, and compassion. He invited me to shows. He shared stories about all the different bands in Atlanta, told me who to check out, what album drops were coming up, and immediately made me feel like Atlanta was worth staying in.

Ian asked me if I would like to come over to his new studio and shoot the official promos for abandcalledlove. I was ecstatic. After being blown away by the other projects he’s worked on (Tenth Row, Clavicle, Harm), and knowing that he had a wealth of other incredible photographers he could have worked with, I was honored. I am honored.

abandcalledlove. is going to be a staple of the music scene here in Atlanta. The first single is incredibly powerful, and Ryan’s vocal performance is bone-chillingly emotional. It’s a testament to the true level of artistry in Atlanta. The combination of excellent songwriting, emotional presentation, groovy basslines - it’s all perfect.

Listen to “Colors Bloom” by abandcalledlove. below. Find me at each and every one of the shows they play.

The abandcalledlove. Promo Photoshoot

Shooting this gallery was incredibly cool. Ian had a clear vision for what he wanted to put together, and despite me not having a $10,000 studio to be able to shoot in, we made the location (corner of his apartment) and gear (a few lights, camera, and a tripod) put his vision together in a seriously cool and creative way.

You can view a few of my favorites from the set below.