The Map Room combine their love for well-constructed pop songs and embellished instrumentation with themes of displacement and motion inspired in part by their travels through South America.
During a year-long trip from Argentina to Colombia, Brendon Morrow and Simon Gooding developed their sound by writing and playing shows along the way. Returning home to Auckland, they crafted a sound which reaches from solo acoustic guitar to full band dynamics, rich with synthesizers, piano, electric guitar and layers of vocals.
In June 2013 the band released their self-titled debut album, which entered the NZ Album chart at Number 7 and the NZ Independent chart at Number 3. It received critical praise, with Nick Bollinger at ‘The Sampler’ calling it “a beautifully realised, impressive debut” and gained a NZ Herald 4.5/5 star review.
With the addition of Andrew Keegan on drums and Jared Kahi on bass, the band has toured NZ and they are currently recording their second album. They have refined their sound and embraced the technologies of home, whilst staying true to the foundations laid in their debut release.
In late 2015, The Map Room were invited to play the largest music festival in India, the NH7 Weekender Festival. They played three shows to large crowds in Delhi, Pune and Bangalore, showcasing material from their forthcoming album.