James Kenneth Chapman, known professionally as Maps, is an English record producer, songwriter and remixer.

Career

''Start Something''

In 2006, he recorded his ''Start Something'' EP by himself on his 16-track recorder. He released it on his own

record label "Big Three" music labels A record label or record company is a brand or trademark of Sound recording and reproduction, music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a Music publisher, ...

, Last Space Recordings, and it was met with some critical acclaim. The single " Lost My Soul" polled at number 26 in ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...

'''s Top 50 singles of 2006.

''We Can Create''

On 19 May 2007, his debut studio album '' We Can Create'' was released on

Mute Records Mute Records is a British independent record label owned and founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller (music producer), Daniel Miller. It has featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Depeche Mode, Erasure (duo), Erasure, Einstürze ...

. Since its release, the album has been seen as a critical success even though sales have been fairly modest. His first North American release, ''To the Sky'' EP, was digitally released on 22 May on the same label. Maps has toured playing the album's songs with a full live line-up. For the touring of ''We Can Create'', James was supported by four local musicians for live shows. On 17 July, it was announced that ''We Can Create'' had been nominated for the

Mercury Music Prize The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize, is an annual Music award, music prize awarded for the best album released by a musical act from the Music of the United Kingdom, United Kingdom or Music of Ireland, Ireland. It was cre ...

. However, it lost out to

Klaxons Klaxons were an English Rock music, rock band, based in London. Following the release of several Gramophone record, 7-inch singles on different independent record labels, as well as the success of previous singles "Magick (Klaxons song), Magick ...

' debut album '' Myths of the Near Future''.

''Turning the Mind''

On 22 February 2009, James wrote on his MySpace blog about his new upcoming album, saying "I've never been more confident and excited about this new album". In an interview he posted on the same blog, he mentioned the new album's themes as being "mental states" and "chemicals". '' Turning the Mind'' was released on 28 September 2009 in Europe, and 20 October in North America.

''Vicissitude''

Maps' third album, titled ''

Vicissitude ''Vicissitude'' is the third studio album by English electronic musician Maps. It was released in July 2013 under Mute Records. The single "A.M.A." features Norwegian singer-songwriter Susanne Sundfør Susanne Aartun Sundfør ( (local Haug ...

'', was released on Mute on 8 July 2013. He has been quoted as saying "It will be darker than 'We Can Create', but more positive and hopeful than 'Turning The Mind'. It'll be different, but it will definitely still be Maps".

''Realigned''

A compilation album of remixes, titled ''Realigned'', was released on Mute on 15 August 2014. It is a collection of remixed tracks from all three of Maps' studio albums.

''onDeadWaves''

In 2016 Chapman collaborated with

label mate Polly Scattergood, under the name onDeadWaves. They released their self-titled album to positive reviews, and played live shows to promote the album, including some support slots with

M83 (band) M83 () is a French electronic rock group formed in Antibes in 1999. Initially the duo of multi-instrumentalists Nicolas Fromageau and Anthony Gonzalez, Fromageau parted ways shortly after touring for their second album ''Dead Cities, Red Seas & L ...

''Colours. Reflect. Time. Loss.''

Chapman released his fourth studio album, ''Colours. Reflect. Time. Loss.'', through

on 10 May 2019. It is said to be his most ambitious work to date, and has seen him work with orchestral musicians, female vocalists, percussionists and a drummer. Maps returned to the live arena that same year to promote the album with a full live band, for a number of shows in the U.K., including a sold out show at The

Purcell Room The Purcell Room is a concert and performance venue which forms part of the Southbank Centre, one of central London's leading cultural complexes. It is named after the 17th century English composer Henry Purcell and has 370 seats. The Purcell Ro ...

Southbank Centre Southbank Centre is an arts centre in London, England. It is adjacent to the separately owned National Theatre and BFI Southbank. It comprises the three main performance spaces – the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, and Purcell R ...

in July 2019.

Discography

Studio albums

Extended plays

Singles

References

External links

*
Interview with James Chapman at Liberation Frequency

{{Authority control 21st-century English musicians English electronic musicians English male musicians English record producers English male songwriters Living people Mute Records artists Musicians from Northampton British remixers Year of birth missing (living people) 21st-century British male musicians