Album Review

Maps – Turning the Mind

• 27th Aug 2009

This album takes a lot of music conventions and creates an interesting mesh. Predominantly here are electro pop and electronic orchestra sounds. And the combination of the two work a charm when orchestrated well as they do here in Maps second album.

The first example of this working well for MAPS is in their second track ‘I Dream of Crystal’ which does find itself rising to the occasion when the chorus swoops round to rousing effect. There are a couple of other tracks which would give Depeche Mode cause to feel threatened. But therein lies the problem with MAPS. They have a soft vocalist who is content to do some generic whispery vocals instead of really projecting out from the music that surrounds him.

This works well for the most part, but if anything is missing it’s a loud voice. Apart from this the band have put together a highly enjoyable pop record with its own electro sounding edges.