[1] Carney initially conceived the project in 2013, following the end of his previous band Dark Captain, and while recuperating from a badly broken leg.

The debut Astronauts single, "Skydive", was released in June 2014, receiving support from BBC Radio 6 Music's Tom Ravenscroft,[4] Gideon Coe,[5] Cerys Matthews,[6] and Steve Lamacq,[7] as well as BBC Radio Scotland's Roddy Hart,[8] and Huey Morgan on BBC Radio 2,[9] earning Carney comparisons with Elliott Smith,[10] Broken Bells, and The Shins,[11] and making the Hype Machine charts.

[13] The debut album, Hollow Ponds, named after an area of Epping Forest near where Carney lives, and was hospitalised following his leg fracture,[14] was released in July 2014.

[15] The collection featured musical contributions from Firestations' Michael Cranny (who co-authored a number of tracks),[16] London alt-folk singer Jess Bryant[17] and cellist Nicole Robson (Bat For Lashes, Stats),[18] with Sputnik Music describing the sound as "often bleak and highly contemplative indie-folk".

[20] Carney appears on There Are No Goodbyes, the 2009 album from Robin Proper-Sheppard's Sophia, playing guitar and providing vocal harmonies on the song "Storm Clouds".