It was originally released in March 1980 by the Sordide Sentimental label as the "Licht und Blindheit" (German for "Light and Blindness") package, a France-only limited edition single featuring the track "Dead Souls" as the B-side.

Joy Division had written an early version of this song called "Chance" which they recorded for a Manchester radio session in June 1979.

The keyboards used in the song were a "Woolworth's Winfield brown Bakelite plastic reed organ," and a Solina String Ensemble.

[4][5] The song was originally released on 18 March 1980 by the label Sordide Sentimental as a France-only 7" single under the title "Licht und Blindheit" (German for "Light and Blindness").

Ned Raggett of AllMusic wrote, "Atmosphere" is another one of those prime Joy Division songs, like "Transmission" or "Love Will Tear Us Apart", where Martin Hannett's production becomes so essential to the end result that it couldn't have been heard otherwise", noting that, in regard to Ian Curtis's mental state and subsequent death, "there's a feeling of a requiem here, an awesome musical farewell.

All songs written and composed by Joy Division (Ian Curtis, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris and Bernard Sumner).