Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer Tom Meikle, known by his artist moniker Mappe Of, first emerged on the scene with the highly acclaimed, self-produced A Northern Star, A Perfect Stone in 2017 (Paper Bag Records). Since his debut, Mappe Of has amassed over 15 million streams across DSPs, had his music featured in several primetime network television series, drew the attention of tastemaker media outlets, and, before the pandemic, performed at notable festivals and toured with the likes of Bahamas, Martha Wainwright, SYML, and Matt Holubowski. After a long hiatus forced by the pandemic, Mappe Of is poised to re-enter the music scene with fresh works that promise to continue his journey of musical exploration and boundary-pushing creativity.
Meikle returns as Mappe Of with a warping, all-encompassing single with jagged edges that are smoothed by infectious and gentle melodies. “A Scourge Laid Upon The Earth” is a delicate, atmospheric tune that is equal parts electronic experimentation and folksy indie rock anthem. What starts as a cacophony of electronic bursts slowly transitions into an acoustic folk ballad, only to transform once again into an anthemic indie rock song that can rival today’s rock radio hits. Meikle’s passionate vocals explode from behind the kaleidoscope-style arrangement, creating textures that wash over the listener like the sun after a long stretch of rain. The artist adds another emotional layer by crafting a poignant yet evocative piece of poetry to accompany their unpredictable arrangement. Mappe Of has made his triumphant return, and “A Scourge Laid Upon The Earth” is a moving welcome home parade with plenty of moving parts that come together to create modern fusion bliss.
“This was the last song I wrote for the record. It felt like there needed to be a sense of weight to this chapter of the story; there needed to be some chaos as a payoff for all of this reflection,” explains Meikle. “This is in many ways the extinction-level event. It needed to be heavy and raucous, retribution for all of our mistakes. It’s a bit of my dormant heavy metal energy emerging from me.”
