It is always great to have Map 71 back in the fold and once again they are pushing the envelope of what can be achieved with voice, synth and drums. This four-track EP seems to have its feet in the dub camp, with Lisa Jayne‘s vocals covered with swathes of echo, whereas Andy Pyne‘s drums patters tend in a more tribal direction, making for an intriguing combo.
The opener “Nude” is really eerie with its enveloping space echo and dubby drums. It is a drawl of a track, with Lisa’s voice appearing to emanate from everywhere, such is the power of the echo.
At times it feels as though it is in your head, and I struggled to catch the purposeful words as they slithered across the dubscape. There is even more echo on “Aces” and the drum pattern makes things really disorientating; the synth is playing a kind of rumba rhythm, but there is also a hint of early Human League in its light industrial cadence. “Confessions Of An Adrenalin Addict” is the sparsest piece here, with Lisa’s dry declamatory tone offset against a ruffle of tribal energy and a siren drone that smacks of dystopian living and a surreal familiarity, where “Someone taking a photograph of midnight” are the sort of folk that populate this dream state. It is a cool juxtaposition to the joyful pitter-patter and rumba of “Girlface Occupation”, which is a lively and playful ending to the EP, the repetitive synth line turning into a mantra fuelled by the giggles and grins of the electronics.Map 71 have once again managed to pack much variety into such a short space of time on Belladonna Sunsets, held together by the irrepressible vocalising of Lisa Jayne. Let’s hope an LP is on its way soon.
-Mr Olivetti-
