Let the shoegaze revival commence – Maps are set to release their long awaited new album later this year.
Maps are effectively a vehicle for James Chapman’s sonic imagination. Tiring of the endless toil of attempting to form a group, Chapman simply bought a 16 track home studio and recorded everything himself.
The resulting EP ‘Start Something’ stuck out a mile within the skinny riffs of the indie scene. Lush and harmonious, it eschewed the influence of post punk in favour of long lost Ride EPs and the occasional Pale Saints single.
Maps debut album ‘We Can Create’ was a critical success. Much more refined than the early EPs the record showcased Chapman’s rapidly blossoming songwriting, and featured lush production.
Since then, Maps have toured heavily. Striking up a friendship with fellow shoegaze types M83, the two groups have occupied the same tour bus for some time. In fact, the pair are on the road right now and are probably passing through a town near you soon.
New album ‘Turning My Mind’ was recorded with Tim Holmes of Death In Vegas. Using the Contino Rooms studio in London, the album is a much more lavish affair than the debut.
“‘Turning The Mind’ is essentially an album which explores themes related to the human mind and the way certain stimuli, particularly chemical, can affect the mind in different ways,” Chapman said in a statement.
He added: “A recurring theme throughout the album is that of the ‘journey of extremes’. An example of this could be from ‘depression’ to ‘euphoria’ (or ‘abyss’ to ‘bliss’, if you like).”
Maps are set to up load a new track to their MySpace page each fortnight before the album is released. In a MySpace blog James Chapman said:
“I have uploaded a brand new track now and will be doing this every 2 weeks before the album comes out. The tracks are nearly finished. This track is called Valium In The Sunshine and it’s about the bliss you feel when you’re having great great times with a girl / boy. It is about a girl I once knew who, um, FUCK ALL THIS! I CAN’T LIE! IT’S ABOUT TAKING VALIUM IN THE SUNSHINE AND THE BLISS YOU FEEL FROM THAT!! Relationship my ass.”
Maps are due to release their new album ‘Turning The Mind’ in September.
