Formed in the fall of 1991 by Brandon Capps (guitar & vocals), Kimber Lanning (drums), and Tim Patterson (bass), Half String created a lush, guitar-driven brand of noise pop that sounded far removed from Tempe, Arizona and the commercial “desert jangle” sound usually associated with the local bands of that era. While the group shared an aesthetic with much of the British shoegaze scene, and occasionally recalled the spirit of early 4AD and Factory Records, they certainly carved out a beautiful noise of their own. During their austere six-year life, Half String inspired an underground music scene in their hometown and gained a small, but loyal following from beyond the desert.

Half String’s first demo was hand delivered to Independent Project Records’ Bruce Licher during the summer of 1992. Impressed, Licher released the three songs as theEclipse 7” single on his revered post-punk fine art imprint. Matt Kruse joined on second guitar in 1993, adding another layer of texture and intricate melody to the band’s broadening sound. This was evident on "Oval," Half String’s second single, and the subsequent Tripped Up Breathing EP, both released by IPR in 1994. Patterson left the band that winter and was replaced by Dave Rogers, a multi-instrumentalist who added backing vocals. In 1995, Germany’s Pop Goes On! and IPR co-released Eclipse*Oval*Hue, a CD mini-album that collected the first two singles along with three unreleased tracks. Later that same year, the group recorded their debut album, A Fascination With Heights. Issued by IPR in 1996, this would be Half String’s last release before the band parted amicably the following summer. Maps for Sleep collects this outstanding body of work, with packaging designed by Bruce Licher. All LPs were hand-assembled.