Maps Cargo, London 26/10/09
4/5
By: Matt Tomiak
“Ow’ you doin?’” enquires Maps mainman James Chapman in a manner uncannily reminiscent of Peep Show’s Super Hans after emerging from behind a smoke machine and launching into ‘It Will Find You.’
Fortunately, tonight’s Maps set bears little resemblance to any of Hans’ misguided musical projects, but there is sizeable evidence of a serious departure from the beatific electro-shoegaze of Mercury Prize nominated debut LP We Can Create for the Northampton native on new album Turning The Mind.
Recent single ‘I Dream of Crystals’ fuses the queasy euphoria of The Flaming Lips to a stadium techno framework; monumental closer ‘Love Will Come’ owes much to the nineties hands-aloft populism of Faithless. “My mum and dad are here… it’s the first time they’ve ever seen me!” yells James before the Big Beat thrust of ‘Back and Forth.’ Plenty to make Mr and Mrs C proud – and way better that anything by The Hair Blair Bunch or Executioner’s Bong.
Artists in this article: Maps
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