abandcalledlove. Announce Debut EP; Share New Single “A Liar!”

Indie/alternative/pop rock outfit abandcalledlove. will release their highly anticipated debut EP, Thriving Season, on September 26, 2025 via the band’s own imprint, Valiant Sound Co. Leading into the release, the band will drop the infectious first single, “A Liar!”, on August 29 across all digital platforms.

Formed in early 2020 by frontman Ryan Chandler Love and guitarist/producer Ian Joshua Riley, abandcalledlove. quickly evolved from a collaborative studio project into one of Atlanta’s most talked-about rising live acts. With the lineup now solidified by Blake Aldridge (guitar), Brooks Roberts (bass), and Austin Yagle (drums), the band first broke through with the single “Colors Bloom” before selling out their debut show at The Masquerade in 2021. Since then, they’ve delivered a string of acclaimed self-produced singles, half of their sixteen total performances have been sellouts, and they’ve shared stages across all four Masquerade rooms as well as venues throughout the Southeast.

On Thriving Season, abandcalledlove. collaborated with producer/engineer Corey Bautista (The Callous Daoboys, Celebrity Therapist), bringing sharp clarity to their signature blend of soaring melodies, atmospheric textures, and propulsive energy.

Discussing the forthcoming single, guitarist/producer Ian Joshua Riley shares:

“If the opening track of the EP is a ‘mission statement’ of sorts denoting what love is, and the second track of the EP is an extrapolation of those ideas, then ‘A Liar!’, being track three, is intended to be an antithetical, bastardized representation of ‘love’ experienced while intentionally and genuinely pursuing it. The dialogue-style approach to the lyrics combined with the narrator’s internal monologue in the chorus is meant to represent a hypothetical, but universally relatable narrative of the seemingly never-ending chaotic cycle of miscommunication, unmet expectations, confusion, hurt, and misunderstanding that come with the pursuit of genuine relationship when goals are fundamentally unaligned. We also wanted the push-and-pull nature of the production and composition to reflect that tension as much as possible, so we spent a lot of time in the studio balancing the more traditional dynamic rock elements with the more subtle electronics and ambient, atmospheric moments to really emphasize the overall dynamics of the track, especially leading up to the song’s climax.”

Beyond their own music, abandcalledlove. members remain highly active in the industry. Both Love and Riley are part of the Recording Academy/GRAMMY’s Class of 2025 and work as full-time producers/songwriters, with credits on multiple Billboard-charting releases. Riley also tours with indie chamber pop collective Adjy (Triple Crown Records/Round Hill Music).

This summer, the band drew additional attention with a guest feature on Woe, Is Me’s latest single from their forthcoming comeback record, “Seminola Blvd”, reinforcing their status as versatile collaborators. Fans can catch abandcalledlove. live at Atlanta’s Center Stage on Thursday, September 25, supporting viral TikTok breakout Cuffing Season, the night before Thriving Season officially drops.