Map of the Problematique
Encyclopedia
"Map of the Problematique" is a song by English alternative rock
band Muse
, released on their 2006 fourth studio album, Black Holes and Revelations
. It was released as the fifth single
from the album on 18 June 2007 as a digital download
only. The release date followed the two concerts Muse performed at Wembley Stadium
on June 16 and June 17.
think-tank who would create a "map of the problematique" detailing the "global problematique" - a set of likely challenges the world might face in the near future. In addition, the opening lyric, "fear and panic in the air" may be a reference to Mars, in that the red planet's two moons are named Phobos and Deimos, who were the Greek gods of Fear and Panic. Such a connection would fit in with numerous references to Mars in the album.
"Map of the Problematique" was used in trailers for Children of Men
(2006) and The Tourist
(2010), and the commercial for Prison Break
. A short clip of the song was also used during the BBC
's coverage of Rugby Sevens World Series.
and octave
shifting
. Written in the key of C minor
, it moves in common time
at a moderately fast tempo of 125 bpm. Lead singer Matthew Bellamy
's displayed vocal range spans from B♭3 to C5. His vocals in the song are overdubbed
to create an echo
effect.
The main riff does not feature any dominant chords, which is gives it a more modal sound. The chords being played are C minor, E♭ major, A♭ major, and F minor.
The song has drawn frequent comparisons to "Enjoy the Silence
" by Depeche Mode
due to their similar chord progression and arrangement. Bellamy has also cited Depeche Mode
as inspiration for the song in interviews.
, "Map of the Problematique" was one of the later songs the band started work on. It was originally played on synthesisers before being transferred to guitar, giving it a much darker sound, although initially the intention was to keep it as keyboard-orientated as possible. The rhythm section was recorded after the guitar tracks. This was different to anything the band had done before, according to Chris Wolstenholme
, "because the whole theme of the song was based more on the sound and creation of this sound".
UK iTunes Store
exclusive
Muse.mu (official site) exclusive
Remix Promo
", the previous single.
television series Primeval, TV spots for the 2006 film Children of Men
, and during Live Earth
. It has also been featured on Top Gear
during Season 8, Episode 7 and Season 10, Episode 5 and, in the UK, samples were played on golfing events either before advertisements or when it moves on to another part of the event, and was used in numerous episodes of MasterChef. "Map of the Problematique" was also used as an entry song into the last episode of Doctor Who Confidential
in the fourth series, entitled "Journey's End
". RAI International television of Italy also uses it as an introduction to the news programme Italia Chiama Italia. The song was rated at #82 in Q Magazine's 100 lost tracks of 2006 list. It is also in the trailer of the 2010 Angelina Jolie
and Johnny Depp
film, The Tourist
. The intro of the song was featured on the 23rd of October episode of The X Factor
.
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Muse
Muse (band)
Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
, released on their 2006 fourth studio album, Black Holes and Revelations
Black Holes and Revelations
Black Holes and Revelations is the fourth studio album by English alternative rock band Muse, released on 3 July 2006. Recording was split between New York and France, and it was the first time Muse had taken a more active role in the album's production...
. It was released as the fifth single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from the album on 18 June 2007 as a digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
only. The release date followed the two concerts Muse performed at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
on June 16 and June 17.
Description
The title is a reference to the book The Limits to Growth (1972) and the Club of RomeClub of Rome
The Club of Rome is a global think tank that deals with a variety of international political issues. Founded in 1968 at Accademia dei Lincei in Rome, Italy, the CoR describes itself as "a group of world citizens, sharing a common concern for the future of humanity." It consists of current and...
think-tank who would create a "map of the problematique" detailing the "global problematique" - a set of likely challenges the world might face in the near future. In addition, the opening lyric, "fear and panic in the air" may be a reference to Mars, in that the red planet's two moons are named Phobos and Deimos, who were the Greek gods of Fear and Panic. Such a connection would fit in with numerous references to Mars in the album.
"Map of the Problematique" was used in trailers for Children of Men
Children of Men
Children of Men is a 2006 science fiction film loosely adapted from P. D. James's 1992 novel The Children of Men, directed by Alfonso Cuarón. In 2027, two decades of human infertility have left society on the brink of collapse. Illegal immigrants seek sanctuary in England, where the last...
(2006) and The Tourist
The Tourist (2010 film)
The Tourist is a 2010 romantic thriller film directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, starring Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp. It is a remake of the 2005 French action film Anthony Zimmer....
(2010), and the commercial for Prison Break
Prison Break
Prison Break is an American television serial drama created by Paul Scheuring, that was broadcast on the Fox Broadcasting Company for four seasons, from 2005 until 2009. The series revolves around two brothers; one has been sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit, and the other devises an...
. A short clip of the song was also used during the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's coverage of Rugby Sevens World Series.
Composition
"Map of the Problematique" is an electronic rock song featuring heavy use of synthesizers, distortion, flangingFlanging
Flanging is an audio effect produced by mixing two identical signals together, with one signal delayed by a small and gradually changing period, usually smaller than 20 milliseconds. This produces a swept comb filter effect: peaks and notches are produced in the resultant frequency spectrum,...
and octave
Octave
In music, an octave is the interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referred to as the "basic miracle of music", the use of which is "common in most musical systems"...
shifting
Pitch shift
Pitch shifting is a sound recording technique in which the original pitch of a sound is raised or lowered. Effects units that raise or lower pitch by a pre-designated musical interval are called "pitch shifters" or "pitch benders".-Pitch/time shifting:...
. Written in the key of C minor
C minor
C minor is a minor scale based on C, consisting of the pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. The harmonic minor raises the B to B. Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale are written in with naturals and accidentals as necessary.Its key signature consists of three flats...
, it moves in common time
Common Time
"Common Time" is a science fiction short story written by James Blish. It first appeared in the August 1953 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly and has been reprinted several times: in the 1959 short-story collection Galactic Cluster; in The Testament of Andros ; in The Penguin Science Fiction...
at a moderately fast tempo of 125 bpm. Lead singer Matthew Bellamy
Matthew Bellamy
Matthew James Bellamy is an English musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the lead vocalist, lead guitarist, pianist, and main songwriter of the alternative rock band Muse.-Early life:...
's displayed vocal range spans from B♭3 to C5. His vocals in the song are overdubbed
Overdubbing
Overdubbing is a technique used by recording studios to add a supplementary recorded sound to a previously recorded performance....
to create an echo
Echo (phenomenon)
In audio signal processing and acoustics, an echo is a reflection of sound, arriving at the listener some time after the direct sound. Typical examples are the echo produced by the bottom of a well, by a building, or by the walls of an enclosed room and an empty room. A true echo is a single...
effect.
The main riff does not feature any dominant chords, which is gives it a more modal sound. The chords being played are C minor, E♭ major, A♭ major, and F minor.
The song has drawn frequent comparisons to "Enjoy the Silence
Enjoy the Silence
"Enjoy the Silence" is Depeche Mode's twenty-fourth UK single, released on 16 January 1990, and the second single from the then upcoming album Violator....
" by Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
due to their similar chord progression and arrangement. Bellamy has also cited Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
as inspiration for the song in interviews.
Recording
Originating from rehearsals before the recording of Black Holes and RevelationsBlack Holes and Revelations
Black Holes and Revelations is the fourth studio album by English alternative rock band Muse, released on 3 July 2006. Recording was split between New York and France, and it was the first time Muse had taken a more active role in the album's production...
, "Map of the Problematique" was one of the later songs the band started work on. It was originally played on synthesisers before being transferred to guitar, giving it a much darker sound, although initially the intention was to keep it as keyboard-orientated as possible. The rhythm section was recorded after the guitar tracks. This was different to anything the band had done before, according to Chris Wolstenholme
Chris Wolstenholme
Christopher Tony Wolstenholme better known as Chris Wolstenholme, is an English musician and the bassist and backing vocalist for the English rock band Muse...
, "because the whole theme of the song was based more on the sound and creation of this sound".
Track listings
Digital single- "Map of the Problematique"
- "Map of the Problematique" (Does It Offend You, Yeah?Does It Offend You, Yeah?Does It Offend You, Yeah? are a British electronic rock band from Reading, Berkshire.-History:Does It Offend You, Yeah? were formed in 2006 in Reading, UK by James Rushent and Dan Coop and soon joined by Rob Bloomfield and Morgan Quaintance....
Remix)
UK iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
exclusive
- "Map of the Problematique" (AOL Session)
Muse.mu (official site) exclusive
- "Map of the Problematique" (Rich CosteyRich CosteyRich Costey is an American record producer, engineer, and mixer who has worked with many bands including Muse, Cave In, Thursday, Franz Ferdinand, Glasvegas, The Mars Volta, Doves, Bloc Party, Ontronik , Jimmy Eat World, My Chemical Romance, Supergrass, Audioslave, Rage Against the Machine, Nine...
edit) - "Map of the Problematique" (Live from Wembley StadiumWembley StadiumThe original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
) - Wembley Digital Souvenir Pack
Remix Promo
- "Map of the Problematique" (Does It Offend You, Yeah?Does It Offend You, Yeah?Does It Offend You, Yeah? are a British electronic rock band from Reading, Berkshire.-History:Does It Offend You, Yeah? were formed in 2006 in Reading, UK by James Rushent and Dan Coop and soon joined by Rob Bloomfield and Morgan Quaintance....
Remix)
Chart performance
The song reached number 18 in the UK singles chart in its first week of release, and was more successful than "InvincibleInvincible (Muse song)
"Invincible" is a song by English rock band Muse and is the sixth track on their fourth album Black Holes & Revelations. The song was also released as the fourth single from that album in the United Kingdom on 9 April 2007...
", the previous single.
In popular culture
The song was used in numerous television adverts through 2006 and 2007, including British science fictionScience fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series Primeval, TV spots for the 2006 film Children of Men
Children of Men
Children of Men is a 2006 science fiction film loosely adapted from P. D. James's 1992 novel The Children of Men, directed by Alfonso Cuarón. In 2027, two decades of human infertility have left society on the brink of collapse. Illegal immigrants seek sanctuary in England, where the last...
, and during Live Earth
Live Earth
-Background:Founded by Emmy-winning producer Kevin Wall, in partnership with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, Live Earth was built upon the belief that entertainment has the power to transcend social and cultural barriers to move the world community to action...
. It has also been featured on Top Gear
Top Gear (current format)
Top Gear is a British television series about motor vehicles, primarily cars. It began in 1977 as a conventional motoring magazine show. Over time, and especially since a relaunch in 2002, it has developed a quirky, humorous style...
during Season 8, Episode 7 and Season 10, Episode 5 and, in the UK, samples were played on golfing events either before advertisements or when it moves on to another part of the event, and was used in numerous episodes of MasterChef. "Map of the Problematique" was also used as an entry song into the last episode of Doctor Who Confidential
Doctor Who Confidential
Doctor Who Confidential is a documentary series created by the British Broadcasting Corporation to complement the revival of the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Each episode was broadcast on BBC Three on Saturdays, immediately after the broadcast of the weekly...
in the fourth series, entitled "Journey's End
Journey's End (Doctor Who)
"Journey's End" is the thirteenth episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who first broadcast on BBC One on 5 July 2008. It is the second episode of a two-part crossover story featuring the characters of spin-off shows Torchwood and The Sarah Jane...
". RAI International television of Italy also uses it as an introduction to the news programme Italia Chiama Italia. The song was rated at #82 in Q Magazine's 100 lost tracks of 2006 list. It is also in the trailer of the 2010 Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie is an American actress. She has received an Academy Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards, and was named Hollywood's highest-paid actress by Forbes in 2009 and 2011. Jolie is noted for promoting humanitarian causes as a Goodwill Ambassador for the...
and Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp
John Christopher "Johnny" Depp II is an American actor, producer and musician. He has won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild award for Best Actor. Depp rose to prominence on the 1980s television series 21 Jump Street, becoming a teen idol...
film, The Tourist
The Tourist (2010 film)
The Tourist is a 2010 romantic thriller film directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, starring Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp. It is a remake of the 2005 French action film Anthony Zimmer....
. The intro of the song was featured on the 23rd of October episode of The X Factor
The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
.