Fresh off the platinum success of 1994's "Swamp Ophelia" and 1995's double-live album "1,200 Curfews," the normally-subdued Indigo Girls will pump up the volume on their new record, tentatively titled "Map," set for release next April. Fans expecting the harmonious folk rock of Indigo Girls past may, however, be in for a bit of a surprise; those elements are present, but they'll be nudged into the shadows in favor of a new and much more electric sound.

"There's a bunch of electric guitars and experimenting with new instruments like the banjo, mandolin, dobro, dulcimer, keyboards -- pretty much organic," says Emily Saliers, one-half of America's favorite driving folk duo. "It's more of a guitar record than in the past."

The Indigos, expanding on what started with Swamp Ophelia\'c6s \'f4Touch Me Fall\'f6 -- the duo\'c6s first ever totally electric song -- are currently putting the finishing touches on "Map" in Atlanta's Southern Tracks studio. In another first, Saliers and partner Amy Ray are producing the record themselves, along with David Leonard (Prince, John Mellancamp) and Peter Collins.

Guest musicians include country blues boy Steve Earle, Atlanta indie-rockers Smoke and violinist Lisa Germano. Native American vocalist trio Ulali, who the Indigos have previously worked with on the "Honor the Earth" campaign, are also featured on the disc." Provisional song titles include the straightforward, stripped-down rocker " Scooter Boys," the forlorn, piano-laden "Leeds" and the Eastern European-influenced "Everything In It's Own Time."

In support of the new release, the Indigos will hit the road in late March, gigging at major venues, college campuses, and even at some high schools towards the end of '97. Not all of the new sounds and experimental twitching, however, will easily translate to the stage, but, according to Saliers, the need for the band to grow and change itself is more pressi