Striking A Match with maphe
One of the most wonderful things about art is that we are constantly surrounded by it, moulded by it and embraced by it. We think it, believe in it for a moment, then a distraction takes us and the daydream is over. It's on the radio, our televisions, in magazines, plastered on walls, in every corner of human existence. And yet, it barely scratches the surface. There is talent everywhere, and sometimes, that talent gets to release their debut single, and even more unlikely is that in this case, I get to write about it.
maphe is the solo project of singer/songwriter Martha Stone. Originally hailing from Somerset but having made the all important move to London, Martha has been fronting bands This Is Slug? and Lores. This Is Slug? recently made their live debut in Camden's Dublin Castle, and while maphe herself has no gigs forthcoming, Fire is the name of her brand new single.
Click here to listen to ‘Fire’ by maphe
Kicking off with a lit match and a partnership of guitar riff and drum machine, maphe boldly begins her first release with the line 'I want to burn this bright forever.' There is intrigue too, 'I want to burn up all my diaries, so that the contents are never found.' Diaries by and large are a personal love affair between pen and paper. What horrors is maphe hoping to hide by this drastic action? Fire also talks about the effect of weird dreams. We all tell people following a bad dream that they needn't be worried as it's simply that - a bad dream. But we are all guilty of being affected by a bad dream in the waking world, despite absolute rationality on the subject.
The double pre-chorus is a curious one. 'Blue in the centre, white hot November, I’m cold as ice but the fire I’ll ignite is...' How does something so cold create an inferno? I'm not talking about the chill you feel when you have a fever, but I suppose metaphorically we're running along those lines. Is it self-destruction or outward anger? Determination or jealousy? And then we hit the anthemic chorus: 'I can’t put it out, shut my mouth, and I’m burning up, boiling up my blood, push it down, but it’s not enough,' finishing with maphe repeating the title of the song. I can only imagine how this would sound with the weight of a full live band behind it. It would be a crime not to do it. The shimmering of the word 'fire' in the production is like watching flames lashing in a furnace full of those troubling diaries. Behind all this is a soundtrack made up of arpeggiated synthesizer and more drum machine percussion that would take two people to replicate live. Vocal chants linger in the distance with melody lines on more keyboard. There is so much more to hear than you'll get on your first listen.
The second verse hints at the idea of a rebirth. 'I want to strike this from the record, strike a match erase it all, I want to rise up from the ashes, to the sound of your applause.' The brief sound of an audience follows. I think of the London Palladium, of a beautiful gown and a 1950's audience throwing roses to the performer on the stage like some kind of dream - a weird dream. Artistically of course this is a new beginning, but this could easily be a personal beginning too. People do it all the time. They clear out their Facebook friend list, the unceremonious dump of friends who became acquaintances and then became nothing at all. A household spring-clean is just that too, but an emotional one is a far greater challenge. The many angles to this single are ever-changing and evoke contemplation.
The change-up of the last chorus only raises more questions. 'Hear you calling out, put it out, oh I wish I could, your words fan the flames even though your intentions good, fire, fire, fire.' Perhaps this is about a relationship? There is an antagonist in this story. With the conclusion of the song musically broken down, it makes you wonder - was it all just a dream?
In an article full of speculation and questions, it was handy to actually ask maphe some of them via email.
1. Stripped down to the core, how was Fire written?
Fire is both a love and a hate song. It’s about feeling passionate and capable of doing something amazing, but also feeling that you destroy everything you touch. I wrote it partly out of frustration from only being creative in private for so long and not properly sharing anything I worked on - so it means a lot for this to be my debut release. I usually start writing in my head, on the bus or when I’m at work, the melody and lyrics coming at the same time. Songwriting is my way of working through emotions and expressing myself, so it’s a constant process really. I then record it as a voice note before working on the music to surround it with a producer. Joe is great to work with as he always listens and understands the vibe or feeling that I’m going with within the song. We are able to be honest with each other about whether we like how it’s going or not, which is important.
2. Were there any direct influences on Fire?
Initially, for the melody and lyrics, I wasn’t outwardly influenced at all, it came to me organically - but maphe as a project is definitely inspired by the likes of Jack Antonoff, Lorde and elements of Finneas’ production amongst others.
3. Fire was produced by Joe Connor, did his involvement have a dramatic effect on the direction of the song?
At first, all I really knew was that I wanted the track to have a feeling of building frustration and be melancholy but still ultimately upbeat. I didn’t know how to get to that point, but Joe took my ideas on board and together we created something that I’m really proud of.
4. You released two songs on compilations called 'Break Your Heart Nicely' and 'What Have You Got To Lose', how is Fire set apart from them?
My two previous releases were both commissioned works, whereas ‘fire’ is something that I had a hand in from the beginning and throughout the whole creative process. This is super exciting for me, but also makes me more nervous for people to hear it as it feels so personal - even more so as the track contains themes pertaining to my mental health.
5. Have you had any weird dreams lately?
I’ve actually had a lot of weird dreams recently. The dream I have most frequently involves me running through the long grass on the riverbank of my childhood home being chased by something sinister. I get that a lot. Let’s hope it doesn’t have a deeper meaning. I’ve tried to write songs about the dream and the feeling that comes with it, but nothing so far has properly captured it. I’ll keep trying.
6. You recently performed your first gig with This Is Slug? But will there be any solo shows?
Performing has always been a massive part of my life - I adore it. So yes, expect maphe solo shows in the coming months.
7. If budget, time and venue were no issue, what would your ideal live set-up be?
My producer Joe wants a live drummer, he’s adamant about that. He also wants a crew, lights, full stage production and thousands of screaming adoring fans (think headline slot arena tours). I would love that too, but for me any performance that has an audience that wants me there and knows the lyrics to my songs would be an absolute dream. I would also love to do some festivals, for the wonderful atmosphere, especially Glastonbury as I grew up local to that area and it was the place that cemented my love of music and the idea of being an artist myself.
8. Is a follow-up single to Fire planned?
Moving forward I plan to be recording, releasing and performing far more frequently. I have so much planned already; this is definitely just the start. ‘Fire’ is me giving oxygen to that little creative spark in my brain, and I’m going to do everything in my power to keep it burning.
