Philadelphia duo @ (pronounced "at"), formed by Victoria Rose and Stone Filipczak, are set to release their first album for indie label 4AD, marking a significant step up for a band that built a devoted cult following largely through word of mouth. Their new record, Autosmile, arrives after six years of quietly gathering acclaim, including praise from Mitski and a hushed reception when they supported Geese's Cameron Winter in New York earlier this year, suggesting the pair are poised for a much wider audience.

The band, both members aged 32, formed almost by accident after reconnecting over text during the 2020 lockdown, having previously known each other from Boston's music scene. Their debut, Mind Palace Music, was recorded remotely and uploaded to Bandcamp in 2021 with little promotion, yet steadily grew into an "if-you-know-you-know" indie favourite, helped by their unusual name and lack of an easily traceable backstory. Autosmile, more than two years in the making, is due out on 16 October and has been described as blending baroque orchestration and pristine harmonies with influences ranging from Elliott Smith to Joanna Newsom and Animal Collective.