Maps

Luscious, symphonic pop compositions are Maps’ speciality. The group are essentially the brainchild of James Chapman and have enjoyed a steady rise in popularity thanks largely to a nomination for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize.

Thankfully they didn’t win the Mercury, as such an achievement has previously resulted in a premature kiss of death for the victors, and thus Maps can maintain their gradual build up of fans without being projected to a star status they’re not quite ready for.



They’ve drawn an impressive crowd at King Tut’s tonight, and manage to fill out the venue adequately, providing a worthy audience for their mesmerizing soundscape. Their style is moulded quite beautifully in tranquil ambience, shaping the same bewildering sense of mood that groups like The Secret Machines, Spiritualised, Sigur Ros, The Animal Collective or Bat For Lashes all manage to purvey quite expertly.

Singing along with Maps tonight isn’t really an option, as much of the lyrical content is buried beneath that self-effacing wall of sound that resonates so perfectly from their outfit. The beguiling beauty of their work manages to refrain from being overtly pretentious, and they have a tenacious resolve that each track should be built around the melody, something I have always personally considered to be as good a starting point as any.


I missed both of Maps’ support acts; the first I later discovered was Zoey Van Goey, which featured my old Film and Music tutor, small world eh? The second was Ulrich Schnauss, a German born electronica artist who I was there for, but thanks to the unusually low level of the King Tut’s sound system I just assumed was actually a roady setting up Maps’ equipment while a CD was playing in the background. Actually, that was Ulrich Schnauss. I’ll try to pay better attention next time.

Strangely enough Maps aren’t the most exciting band to watch, and you’d think a group that manages to create some great rhythmic percussion moments might have some enthralling energy on stage, but no – it’s all a bit too static and uninteresting on the eye. Even when Chapman decides to move away from his beloved 16 track recorder that he usually has holed up in his bedroom in Northampton, and swaps it for a guitar, he still just stands rooted to the spot.


For a band that supposedly don’t have too much creative input when it comes to writing the material, they all seem fairly competent with their instruments and more enthusiastic about the music they’re creating than Chapman himself.

But regardless of the motionless Chapman, the noise created is near perfection and it has the same full, well-produced sound that groups like The Sunshine Underground or Faithless manage to deliver with their live performances. Well worth listening to, but perhaps not the most exciting band to watch.

FUTURE GIGS

sorry, we currently have no gigs listed for this act.