We've been sitting on this album for a while now, but since it's finally now available for public consumption, we can't wait to share it with you. Mapei has had a relatively tumultuous career considering she's only really been in the public eye for a few years now, and while there's no arguing that it looks like she's finally hit her stride, it's hard to say things have gone smoothly when you have to scrap a complete album at the height of your buzz. That album in question was her proposed debut full-length made with the French super duo, Justice, and while it never saw the light of day, we can't help but wonder how things would have turned out for Mapei if it got released. As it turns out, all that speculation is irrelevant, because this, her true first album, is an absolute masterpiece. Hey Hey is its name, and it constitutes a sprawling metropolis of sounds that are as diverse and vibrant as the various cites this artist has called home over the years. After hearing the project from start to finish, too, it'll be hard to fixate on any what-ifs, because the music that's hitting your ears feels every inch like it was meant for her. She's been quietly working away in the background for a couple years now on this project, and each song is testament to the hard work she put in and vast amount of talent and skill she possesses. Despite the very high quality of the album as a whole, there are a couple of tracks that really stand out from the rest, and we would be remiss if we didn't mention them. Right off the bat, the two big singles that she released ahead of the full project, "Don't Wait" and "Change", are the shoe-ins for top track status, and even now after we've played them over and over again these last couple months, they are still just as fun and inspiring to listen to. "Change" especially is a sprawling pop ballad that mirrors the feel of the album as a whole, and the balance it strikes between carefree sounds and profound song structure is a force to be reckoned with. (Budding pop stars take note: if you want to get big but still be taken seriously, do what Mapei does on "Change"). "Don't Wait", meanwhile, was her first single off the album, and for many music lovers, it constituted the first time their first listen of her. Since she had taken a release hiatus, though, she functionally reset the clock on her career, and that single hasn't only launched her to new heights, but grabbed the sound to back up that success. As far as new music goes, there's plenty to choose from on Hey Hey. Songs like "Step Up", "Keep It Cool", and "Believe" are all great additions to the success she's had with her singles, and they provide a lot of depth to the project. (This depth will most assuredly mean she's not going to get sidelined in the future due to a lack of quality material). It usually takes a pretty extensive catalog of work to hold an artist over while they plan their next move, and Hey Hey is going to keep fans very happy for a long time while Mapei tours and start the recording process for whatever else is in the pipeline. She's been at this whole music thing for a little while now, after all, and she's already had her fair share of trials and successes, but this isn't your average-sounding debut album. It's more refined than average, and it speaks to her wisdom as an artist. That being the case, we're absolutely stoked on what we're hearing, and can't wait to see what she comes up with next. Purchase Hey Hey on iTunes.
Mapei